The chairperson of the Public Service Commission of Namibia, Salmaan Jacobs, has stressed the need for public service commissions across the SADC region to collaborate on shared challenges.

Speaking at the SADC Public Service Commissions Forum General Assembly in Windhoek, Jacobs pointed to key issues such as skills shortages, public sector ethics, and digital transformation as critical areas needing joint deliberation and action.

Jacobs explained that these efforts are part of a broader push to create a culture of mutual learning and strategic alignment in public sector reform.

He emphasised that the current generation plays a critical role in developing harmonised frameworks, standardising recruitment practices, aligning ethical codes, and streamlining performance management systems to enhance comparability and facilitate the mobility of skills across the SADC region.

The Chairperson also called for digitalised platforms for regular engagement, noting that digital solutions reduce costs while ensuring consistent communication and effective project follow-up. 

"Our public service commissions can design and implement joint training programs on leadership, governance, and digital public administration to build a shared pool of competency. This is to ensure that our public servants are equipped to implement regional integration strategies effectively. Through this platform, we can collaborate on research and knowledge sharing to develop an online knowledge and research platform that would be accessible to all our PSCs in the SADC region to share studies, policymakers, and best practices."

Jacobs further emphasised the need for public service commissions within the SADC region to formalise cooperation in key areas such as staff exchanges and bargaining standards.

He pointed out that this can happen with help from SADC, which can assist in creating official agreements between member commissions and turning regional promises into real actions, like public administration rules and guidelines.