The Public Service Commission (PSC) will examine conflict between appointed and elected leaders and their impact on service delivery while on a visit in the Erongo Region.

The PSC paid a courtesy call on the Erongo Governor, Neville Andre, and shared that the commissioners will be consulting various stakeholders in the public sector.

Among other issues, they will discuss conditions of service, skills development, the 4th industrial revolution and its relation to public service.

The commissioners will further investigate the clash between appointed and elected leaders.

"We end up having the problem of having a conflict between these two and having the service delivery affected negatively; that's an issue that we want to raise and bring to the top so that at the very beginning, where we are right now, we address it so that those that are elected and those that are appointed can work together in harmony," said Commissioner Batseba Katjiuongua.

Governor Andre stressed that public servants are the link between politicians and society because they implement the promises the politicians make to the people.

"There is an importance of a political and administrative interface where we speak to each other. What is important is service delivery at all levels; it should not be that service delivery should be well in a town, in a town area, for example, in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, but when you go to Tubusis, when you go to Uis, it's pathetic; it should be the same."

The governor further urged the public service commissioners to include local authorities in their consultations. 
 
"That is where I think the challenge is between the political heads of local authority institutions and the administrative arm. Which, I think, there seems to be some kind of a detachment in terms of operation and understanding. We just really need to see how we can help to see the same and work together because it is all about services we need to provide to our people."

Chairperson of the Public Service Commission Salmaan Jacobs agreed to the importance of collaborations.

"Local authorities in many ways are not part of the public service; this is still one of the things that we are still looking at, and I think discussions are going around. Our understanding is that the public service commission advises the President, and the government and local authorities are the third tier of government, and they are supposed to be part and parcel of our advice; that is our view, but there are ongoing discussions."

Recently, the Independent Patriots for Change vice president and mayor of Walvis Bay, Trevino Forbes, claimed that service delivery in the harbour town was crippled because of political interference.

On various occasions Forbes called out the Walvis administration for failing to implement council resolutions, saying some are politically aligned and are being used to sabotage the council's efforts.