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Namibia’s National Employment Policy 2013-2017

Final Draft, 22February 2013

Prepared by the Task Team with assistance from the ILO and Herbert Jauch

for the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare

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Table of contents

Preface 3

Introduction 3

Abbreviations 4

PART 1: Situational Analysis 7 1. Employment and economic growth 7

1.1 Macroeconomic indicators and challenges 7

1.2. (Un) employment, informal employment and employability in Namibia 8

1.2.1 Employment profile 8

1.2.2 Unemployment rates and trends 11

1.2.3 Formal and informal employment in Namibia 13

1.2.4 Social protection

1.2.5 Skills shortages and mismatch between skills supply and demand 15

1.3 Past efforts to address unemployment 16

1.4 Reaching the objectives of NDP4: The role of the NEP 18

PART 2: Policy Framework 20

2.1 Goals and objectives 20

2.2 Overall approach 20

2.2.1 Pro-employment macro-economic policies 20

2.2.2 Decent work 21

2.2.3 Focus on the youth 22

2.3 Priority areas and strategies 23

2.3.1 Agriculture-led industrialisation 23

2.3.2 Value addition 25

2.3.3 Public works: housing and sanitation 27

2.3.4 Job creation in the informal economy 28

2.3.5 Green jobs 31

2.3.6 Tourism 32

2.3.7 Skills development 34

2.3.8 Improved social protection 36

2.3.9 Enabling business environment 36

2.3.10 Strengthened social dialogue 37

PART 3: Policy Implementation Plan 38

3.1 Monitoring and evaluation 45

Bibliography 46

ANNEX: 1 National Employment Policy Logical Framework

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Preface to be added (Minister of Labour and Social Welfare?)

Introduction

Employment creation has been generally acknowledged as one of the key challenges in Namibia

today. Successive labour force surveys have shown that despite fairly stable but moderate

economic growth rates, the unemployment problem has increase over time, affecting about half

of our economically active population in 2008. Thus there is a need for decisive intervention if

we are to reach the goals set by Vision 2030.

The fourth National Development Plan NDP4 has placed employment creation and the reduction

of inequalities at the centre of all government efforts in the coming years. This new employment

policy is thus a further contribution to that process. It builds on various existing initiatives and

highlights the key priority areas in the years to come. Past initiatives like the National

Employment Policies of 1997 needed to be updated and refocused while the targeted

Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (TIPEEG) was of a short-term

nature and could not address the unemployment problem holistically. This gap is meant to be

filled by this new employment policy which outlines agriculture-based industrialisation,

systematic and targeted value addition, renewable energy generation and green jobs, public

works programmes to create housing and sanitation facilities, tourism, SMEs and transforming

the informal economy as key areas for job creation in the years to come. A special emphasis will

be placed on the employment of women and youth who are worst affected by the current levels

of unemployment and informal employment.

The new employment policy will present an analysis of unemployment and employment trends

and a brief review of previous employment creation initiatives. The document also outlines the

priority areas for employment creation between 2013 and 2017. This is followed by an

implementation plan outlining the role players whose contributions are required to successfully

implement this policy. Finally, the monitoring and evaluation plan is meant to ensure that this

policy will practically contribute to create thousands of additional, sustainable and decent jobs in

Namibia.

The National Employment Policy was developed in a participatory manner drawing not only on

various government Ministries and agencies but also on social partners like employers, trade

unions and informal economy organisations. Thus this document has drawn on and incorporated

the views and proposals of a broad range of stakeholders. The process was supported since its

inception by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and formed part of Namibia’s Decent

Work Country Programme.

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Abbreviations

AEA Agricultural Employers Association

AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

AU African Union

BIG Basic Income Grant

BIPA Business and Industrial Property Agency

BTP Build Together Programme

CAADP Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme

CBNRM Community Based Natural Resource Management

CYB Credit for Youth in Business

DBTP Decentralised Build Together Programme

DWCP Decent Work Country Programme

EPAs Economic Partnership Agreements

EPZ Export Processing Zone

EU European Union

FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation

GDP Gross Domestic Product

HDI Human Development Index

HIV Human Imunodeficiency Virus

ILO International Labour Organisation

IPBC Indigenous People’s Business Council

IPP Independent Power Producer

JCC Joint Consultative Council

LFS Labour Force Survey

MET Ministry of Environment and Tourism

MHSS Ministry of Health and Social Services

MLR Ministry of Lands and Resettlement

MLSW Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare

MME Ministry of Mines and Energy

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MoE Ministry of Education

MoF Ministry of Finance

MRLGHRD Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing and Rural Development

MSS Ministry of Safety and Security

MWT Ministry of Works and Transport

MYNSSC Ministry of Youth National Service, Sport and Culture

MTEF Medium Term Expenditure Framework

MTI Ministry of Trade and Industry

NAB Namibia Agronomic Board

NACOBTA Namibia Community Based Tourism Association

NAFWU Namibia Farmworkers Union

NCCI Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

NEF Namibian Employers’ Federation

NEP National Employment Policies

NAU Namibia Agricultural Union

NDP National Development Plan

NEF Namibian Employers’ Federation

NEP National Employment Policy

NEPAD New Partnership for Africa’s Development

NHE National Housing Enterprise

NHRP National Human Resources Plan

NLFS Namibia Labour Force Survey

NMA Namibia Manufacturers’ Association

NNFU Namibia National Farmers Union

NPC National Planning Commission

NSA Namibia Statistics Agency

NTB Namibia Tourism Board

NUNW National Union of Namibian Workers

NQA Namibia Qualifications Authority

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NSS National Sanitation Strategy

NTA Namibia Training Authority

NUNW National Union of Namibian Workers

NYC National Youth Council

NYCS Namibia Youth Credit Scheme

NYS National Youth Service

ODSOM Occupational Demand and Supply Outlook Model

RNF Recycle Namibia Forum

RPL Recognition of Prior Learning

SMEs Small and Medium-size Enterprises

SSC Social Security Commission

TIPEC Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment Creation

TIPEEG Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth

TNC Transnational Corporation

TUCNA Trade Union Congress of Namibia

UN United Nations

VET Vocational Education and Training

WSASP Water Supply and Sanitation Policy

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PART 1: Situational Analysis

1. Employment and Economic Growth

1.1 Macroeconomic indicators and challenges

Namibia is classified as an upper middle income developing country with a population of 2.2

million people in 2010. Under the Second National Development Plan (NDP2) (2001-2006),

GDP was targeted to grow at an average of 4.3 per cent per annum but Namibia experienced a

higher annual average growth of 5.3 per cent during this period. NDP3 (2007-2012) was

launched in a very different context marked by the global financial crisis and the emergence of a

sovereign debt crisis in the Euro Area, which is Namibia’s most important trading partner. As a

small, open economy, the downturn in Namibia’s trade partners caused a knock-on effect on

domestic performance, with the economy witnessing a contraction of 0.4% in 2009. As a result

economic growth fluctuated over the NDP3 period and estimates for domestic growth have been

revised downwards; at the end of the period, growth averaged 3.6% against the target of 5.0%.

However, except for 2009, Namibia’s GDP achieved positive growth rates during the period

2001-2012.

The overall economic outlook over the NDP4 period (2012-2017) is characterised by a level of

uncertainty concerning the external environment with the Euro Area projected to fall into

recession in 2012 and to experience low growth over the medium term. Namibia’s domestic

growth is expected to be sluggish in 2012/13, due to low growth in mining but it is expected to

increase towards the end of the NDP4 period as global prospects improve and new domestic

investment and production activity increases. Table 1 presents the projected economic growth

over the NDP4 period.

Table 1: Projected Economic Growth, 2012-2017

On the whole, annual growth is targeted to average 6.0% over the NDP4 period (see Table 1). In

real terms, i.e. taking inflation into account, GDP per capita is targeted to increase from

N$26,445 in 2012/13, to around N$31,212 by 2016/17 – a rise of 17%. This is an ambitious

target, and represents an annual growth rate well above the 3.6% achieved during the NDP3.

Furthermore, this level of growth will position Namibia as one of the fastest-growing upper-

middle-income countries in the world. The Vision 2030 target is to become a high-income

country by 2030. Considering NDP3 performance, projected NDP4 performance, and a constant

level of growth, real per capita income over NDP5, NDP6 and NDP7, would have to increase by

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9.7% per year to reach the target, which is a big challenge. This shows that more needs to be

done to reach the targets set out in Vision 2030.

The challenge of NDP 4 and following NDPs is to combine the objective of high and sustained

economic growth with the objectives of employment creation and increased income equality.

Economic growth is not an end in itself, but rather a means to achieve other goals such as

poverty reduction and full and productive employment. To achieve those goals, the growth

strategy in NDP4 is based on key targeted sectors which have been identified as having potential

for both growth and job creation, namely tourism, manufacturing and transport/logistics. These

sectors also demonstrate significant multiplier effects on the economy, and therefore will

stimulate a job-rich growth.

However, achieving the three objectives of NDP 4 requires specific interventions as growth by

itself cannot solve structural problems of the labour market and the resultant social and economic

inequalities. For example, despite economic growth between 1997 and 2008, formal sector

employment declined by nearly 70,000 jobs while an estimated 240,000-300,000 new job

seekers entered the labour market. A closer analysis of sector-specific performances reveals that

employment growth occurred mostly in trade and repairs, private household employment, hotels

and restaurants which accounted for 58% of employment growth between 1997 and 2008. Other

sectors that made a significant contribution to employment were education, public administration

and defence, construction, health and social work. However, the primary sectors such as

agriculture, mining and fishing hardly contributed to employment growth despite their significant

contribution to the GDP.

The missing link between past economic growth performances and employment outcomes calls

for the formulation of a National Employment Policy which should be seen as a core tool for

achieving the objectives of NDP4 in terms of reducing poverty and unemployment. The NEP

therefore aims to present an integrated policy framework to enhance a labour-intensive growth

path as well as the quality of employment and access to job for vulnerable groups. Experience in

many countries has shown the potential of policy interventions for restructuring the pattern of

growth towards sustainable job-rich growth.

1.2 (Un) employment, informal employment and employability in Namibia

1.2.1 Employment Profile

The Labour Force Survey of 2008 indicated that 64.9 percent of the population lives in rural

areas. Females account for 52.6 percent of the population, with a sex ratio of 90.2 males for

every 100 females. Namibia has a relatively young population, with slightly over half of the

population (50.7 percent) below the age of 20 years. With such a young population, it is

therefore not surprising that the age dependency ratio, the ratio of children aged 0-14 and persons

aged 65 years and above per 100 persons in the age group 15-64, is high at 81.8 in 2008 (83.5 in

2004). This therefore implies that there are 81.8 dependents for every 100 persons with

productive abilities (economically active population). The dependency ratio is higher in rural

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areas at 102.5 compared to urban areas at 53.3 (see Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare,

2010a).

The 2008, Namibia’s working age population stood at 959,187, of which 511,051 (53.3 percent)

were females and 448,135 (46.7 percent) were males.1 Of the total working age population, only

331,444 (34.6 percent) were employed which is a very low employment ratio compared to other

Sub-Saharan countries (about 75% in average according to ILO KILM indicators). One of the

main characteristic of the labour market in Namibia is the weak labour force participation as only

55.4% of the working age population were part of the labour force while 44.6% were

economically inactive. Although females outnumbered males in the working age population,

more males (186,093 or 56.1 percent) were employed than females (145,351 or 43.9 percent of

the employed).

Figure 1: Labour force participation rate (%)

Source: Namibia Labour Force Survey 2008

In 2008, agriculture was the largest provider of employment contributing 15.9 percent, followed

by wholesale and retail trade with 15.1 percent, private households at 10.9 percent, education

(8.6 percent), public administration, defence and social security (8.4 percent), construction (7

percent), manufacturing (6.3 percent). In rural areas, agriculture accounted for 38.3 percent of

all employed persons, followed by education at 14 percent, wholesale and retail trade (11.7

percent), private households (8.4 percent), and construction (5.6 percent). In urban areas

wholesale and retail trade provide 17.2 percent of all employment, followed by private

households (12.3 percent), public administration, defence and social security (10.4 percent),

manufacturing (8.7 percent), construction (7.9 percent), transport, storage and communication

(6.8 percent), real estate, renting and business activities (6.1 percent), and education (5.4

percent).

At the national level, most employed persons are in elementary occupations (23.4 percent),

followed by services, shops and market sales workers (18.4 percent), craft and trade workers

(15.9 percent), skilled agricultural and fishery workers (8.8 percent), professionals (8.7 percent),

1 The Labour Force Survey covered only the population residing in private households, thus excluded people living

in institutional households (the army and police barracks, nurses and prisons).

55.4

74.4

41.549.9

72

35.5

61.6

76.9

49.1

0

20

40

60

80

100

Namibia Urban Rural

Total

Female

Male

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clerks (6.9 percent), technicians and associated professionals (6.5 percent), plant and machine

operators and assemblers (5.4 percent) and legislators, senior officials and managers (5.1

percent).

Of all employed persons, 81.3 percent are employees, followed by own account workers (without

paid employees - 10.4 percent). The remaining 8.3 percent are made up of communal

subsistence farmers, unpaid family worker and others). Just over half of all employees (50.8

percent) worked for private enterprises, 21.1 percent worked for government and 13.9 percent for

private households. The vast majority of the employees (65.5 percent) were in urban areas

compared to the 34.5 percent in rural areas.

Employers and own-account workers were classified as informal if the enterprise was not

registered as a company and did not keep detailed formal accounts. Employees were classified as

informal if they indicated that their employer did not pay social contributions, such as for

pension, on their behalf. All contributing family workers were classified as informal. Figure 2

shows the formal/informal distribution for each of the detailed statuses in employment. By

definition, all unpaid family workers are informal workers. The overwhelming majority of

employers and own account workers without permanent employees are informal, especially

among those working in subsistence or communal agriculture. In contrast, around 70% of

employers with permanent employees are formal. Among employees, less than three fifths have

formal jobs.

Table 1: Labour force characteristics, 2008

Total Women Men Rural Urban

Economically active 678,680 349,345 329,336 351,505 327,175

Unemployed 347,237 203,994 143,243 228,136 119,100

Employed 331,444 145,351 186,093 123,369 208,075

Employed in agriculture 54,106 11,903 42,203 48,016 6,090

Formal employment – agriculture 18,677 3,461 15,216 15,857 2,820

Informal employment - agriculture 35,429 8,442 26,987 32,158 3,271

Employed in non-agriculture 277,338 133,447 143,890 75,353 201,985

Formal employment – non-

agriculture

155,994 71,045 84,949 34,917 121,077

Informal employment – non-

agriculture

121,344 62,402 58,941 40,436 80,908

Source: Namibian Labour Force Survey 2008

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1.2.2 Unemployment Rates and Trends

The unemployment situation in Namibia has deteriorated markedly over the years. Using the

strict definition of unemployment (being without work, available for work and seeking work) in

accordance with the international statistical standards, joblessness increased from 20.2 percent in

2000 to 21.9 percent in 2004 and 37.6 percent in 2008, compared to an average unemployment

rate of 7.6 percent for Sub-Saharan Africa for 2008. Based on the broad definition where the

requirement to actively seek work is relaxed, unemployment in Namibia stood at 51.2 percent in

2008, up from 36.7 percent in 2004 and 33.8 percent in 2000.

Figure 2: Unemployment rates according to the strict and broad definitions (%)

Source: Namibia Labour Force Survey 2008

It should be noted that this very high figure of unemployment probably includes a large part of

underemployment in rural areas. In view of the standard definition of employment which

includes any work for pay, profit, or family gain for at least an hour during the reference period

of seven days preceding the interview, these rates of unemployment are very high indeed. In the

context of developing countries, unemployment is considered to be an extreme situation of total

lack of work since either none or a very limited number of workers are covered by

unemployment insurance or other public relief schemes. Under such conditions, very few people

can afford to be unemployed for any period of time. Most people would be engaged in some

economic activity and coping strategies even though they may be characterized by decent work

deficits. Thus the Namibian labour market is characterised by deep structural problems which

should be targeted as a top policy priority.

Unemployment is higher in rural areas (64.9 percent) than in urban areas (36.4 percent - broad

definition), and it higher amongst females (58.4 percent) than males (43.5 percent). In addition,

young people and those with lower levels of education are far more affected by unemployment

20.221.9

37.633.8

36.7

51.2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2000 2004 2008

Strict definition

Broad definition

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than those who are older and with higher levels of education. For example, in 2008

unemployment (broad definition) amongst those with a post-graduate degree was 4.4 percent

compared to 14.3 percent for first degree holders, 41.5 percent for those with senior secondary

school education and 59.9 percent for those with primary education.

Namibians aged 15-19 experienced the highest unemployment rate of 83.6 percent, followed by

the 20-24 age group (67.4 percent), the 25-29 age group (53.3 percent), the 30-34 age group etc.

Unemployment decreased with age which shows the need to target the youth in employment

policies.

The structural nature of unemployment in Namibia is reflected in its long-term nature, with 72.2

percent of the unemployed having been without a job for at least two years. This directly affects

household welfare as a large proportion of households (41.8 percent) depends on wages and

salaries as their main source of income, followed by subsistence farming (crops and animals)

with 22.4 percent and cash remittances at 11 percent. The importance of wages and salaries for

household survival is greater amongst urban households where almost 69 percent rely primarily

on wages and salaries while in rural areas subsistence farming is the main source of income for

37.3 percent of households.

1.2.3 Formal and informal employment in Namibia

Informal employment is a complex and heterogeneous reality as it comprises: i) own-account

workers and employers employed in their own informal sector enterprises, ii) contributing family

workers, irrespective of whether they work in formal or informal sector enterprises and iii)

employees holding informal jobs, whether employed by formal sector enterprises, informal

sector enterprises, or as paid domestic workers by households.

The dual structure of the Namibian economy resulted in a formal sector that accounts for only 26

percent of the economically active population, while the unemployed account for 51 percent and

those with informal employment account for 23 percent (see figure 3). In other words only one

in four economically active Namibians enjoys formal employment. Improving the non-formal

economy (subsistence and informal) is therefore an important building plank of a pro-poor,

decent work rich growth strategy.

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Figure 3: Distribution of the economically active population

Source: Namibia Labour Force Survey 2008

The share of informal employment is significantly higher in agriculture (65%) than in the non-

agricultural sectors (44%). Overall, formal employees accounted for close to half (47 percent) of

all the employed, with the informal employees representing just over a third (34 percent). The

sector-specific distribution is reflected in table 2.

Table 2: Employment by economic activity and formality (%)

Industry Total Formal Informal

Agriculture 16 11 23

Mining 3 4 1

Manufacturing 6 8 5

Utilities 2 2 1

Construction 7 4 10

Trade 19 15 23

Transport 5 6 4

Finance 7 9 5

Services 35 41 29

Total 100 100 100

Source: Namibia Labour Force Survey 2008

Small workplaces characterise informal employment while formal workers account for 72

percent of all those who work in factories, offices or shops. Most Namibian workers (82 percent)

work full-time, and this proportion is even higher amongst formal workers (93 percent) for

formal workers compared to 69 percent for informal workers.

Formal employment26%

Informal employment23%

Unemployed51%

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Earnings are higher amongst formal employees of whom only 7 percent earned below N$ 600

per month, compared to 43 percent of informal employees in that income category. While 39

percent of formal employees earned at least N$3,500 per month, only 6 percent of informal

employees did so. This trend is confirmed by the mean monthly salaries which stood at N$2,798

compared to N$724 for informal workers. The highest informal wage earning was recorded at

N$1,809 (see Namibia, 2010b). Women have lower mean monthly earnings at N$4,140 for those

in formal employment (compared to N$4,504 for males) and N$963 for those in informal

employment (compared to N$1,613 for males).

Of the 50,000 employers and own account workers in Namibia in 2008, 70 percent were

informal. Smaller enterprises dominate in both the formal and informal sectors, even though they

are more pronounced in the informal economy where 53 percent of the operators have no

employees besides the business partners and unpaid family workers. An additional 44 percent

work in enterprises with 1-4 employees. This suggests the potential employment creation impact

of integrating the informal economy into the mainstream economy.

1.2.4 Social protection

Namibia has a compulsory, contributory social security system for all employed persons which is

run by the Social Security Commission (SSC) and covers maternity, sick, and death benefits as

well as accidents at work. Although the legal provisions are applicable to every employee in

formal or informal employment and in all sectors of the economy, less than half of all employed

persons (154 665 out of 331 444) were registered with the SSC by 2008.

In addition to the SSC schemes, Namibia has various other social protection programmes which

are not employment-related. These include the following:

1. A universal and non-contributory old age social pension is paid to all citizens or

permanent residents who reached 60 years of age, irrespective of sex, past and current

employment status and income.

2. A disability pension is paid to those of 16 years and above who have been diagnosed by a

state doctor as being temporarily or permanently disabled. This may include blind

persons or those who are medically diagnosed with AIDS.

3. War veterans subventions are paid to those who took part in the long struggle against

South African colonial rule, irrespective of age, assets or employment status provided

that she/he has an annual income of less than N$ 36 000.

4. A child maintenance grants are paid to a biological parent of a child under 18 years and

to those parents whose spouse is receiving an old age or disability grant, has died or is

serving a prison sentence of 3 months or longer. Payment is based on means testing and

some conditions have to be met, for example, the restriction to applicants with monthly

incomes of less than N$ 1 000 and providing school attendance records, if the child is

older than 7 years. The aim is to create a monetary incentive for keeping the child in

school.

5. Other programmes include food distribution in times of humanitarian crises, such as

those caused by the frequent droughts or floods, and a school–feeding programme.

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1.2.5 Skills shortages and mismatch between skills supply and demand

The link between education and training, skills development and economic progress has long

been acknowledged. Education and training therefore determine the quality of human resources

which are a crucial component of socio-economic development. Apart from its economic aspect,

education is also contributing to the development of people’s potentials and enables them to play

a more effective role in the democratic life of society. The LFS of 2008 shows that Namibia’s

human resource development is still lagging behind with 13 percent of the population six years

and above having no education at all, while 45.3 percent completed primary education and only a

mere 1.2 percent completed university education. This to some extent explains why the majority

of the employed persons are in elementary occupations. There are no significant differences in

educational attainment by gender.

Most of the employed persons with no education (52.1 percent) or with primary school education

(27 percent) are working in agriculture, while those with junior secondary education (20.5

percent) are dominant in wholesale and retail trade, and the repair of motor vehicles. Employed

persons with university education (23.5 percent) are mainly in education, while those with post-

graduate training (23.5 percent) are concentrated in health and social work. Those with low

levels of education tend to be employed in elementary occupations while those with post

standard 10 education occupy mostly occupations such as technicians, professionals, legislators

and senior managers. As stated earlier, unemployment rates fall with educational attainment.

A skills survey by the Namibian Employers’ Federation (NEF) found that:“…it is clear that the

issue of skills is a clear and present strategic concern across various sectors” . Over 90 percent of

respondents experienced Namibia’s skills shortage as either severe or very severe. Seventy

percent indicated that there were critical vacancies requiring specialist skills and expertise

existed in their organization, company or sector. Asked whether the tertiary education and

training sector was performing, 75 percent of the responses were in the range of partially

satisfied to mostly dissatisfied, while 11 percent indicated complete dissatisfaction. Regarding

the relevance of the curricular offered by tertiary institutions, 55 percent of the responses were in

the range of partially relevant to mostly irrelevant, while nine percent assessed the skills training

as completely irrelevant.

1.3 Efforts to address unemployment after independence

Since Namibia attained political independence, the Namibian Government tried to implement

various strategies simultaneously to address the problem of unemployment. These included the

establishment of medium and large export-oriented manufacturing industries to increase and

diversify exports and to overcome the limitations of a small domestic market. The National

Employment Policies (NEP) of 1997 stated that growth rates of about 6% per annum would be

required to reduce the levels of unemployment. It suggested that the existing productive,

primary sectors of the economy should be maintained and promoted while developing those

sectors which were neglected in the past such as subsistence farming, small enterprises and the

informal economy. The NEP also envisaged the promotion of tourism, labour-based works in all

sectors of the economy and the development of human resources.

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The major focus of economic policy has been the promotion of export production within a

market-oriented economic framework. The passing of a Foreign Investment Act, shortly after

Independence, and the Export Processing Zones Act of 1995 bear testimony to Namibia’s efforts

to encourage foreign investments. The NEP of 1997 stated that “since Namibia has a small

population and a limited domestic market, export-led growth will be the only viable strategy for

sustainable economic development and massive job creation”. The policy document called for

“explicit, well-defined and targeted” interventions to achieve job creation: “Economic growth is

a necessary prerequisite, but not sufficient by itself for job creation. There could be economic

growth with stagnant and/or declining job opportunities. What Namibia wants is a high rate of

economic growth, job creation and equity. For this to happen, job creation should be the explicit

objective of all macro- and sectoral economic policies and should be the concern of all

ministries, employers and workers”. The document identified the high levels of un- and under-

employment as a major threat: “They will create class, racial, regional and social tensions; and

ultimately political instability. They are a social time bomb ticking away”.

The objectives of the Namibian Government’s employment policies were thus twofold, namely,

“to create adequate jobs to absorb the annual entrants to the labour market in order to reduce

the current high levels of unemployment and underemployment; and to promote the protection of

the working population”. These objectives are still relevant today but the experiences over the

past 22 years have provided Namibia with the opportunity to learn from past practices. The aim

to achieve export-led industrialisation and employment, in particular has not been achieved in the

face of cut-throat competition of a ruthless global economy and the particular conditions in

Namibia. Thus the expected 25,000 jobs in the Export Processing Zones (EPZs) never

materialised despite the generous incentives offered to EPZ investors.

On the other hand, the potential for job creation through systematic SME development and local

value-addition as well as targeted interventions in the informal economy has not been realised

and thus needs to become a key focus in the years to come. It is encouraging to note that the

introduction of quotas for local agricultural goods in retail shops has shown very positive results

in terms of encouraging local production and employment opportunities.

1.3.1 Sectoral Interventions

In August 2010, the National Planning Commission presented the “Targeted Intervention

Programme for Employment Creation” (TIPEC) to address unemployment in the short to

medium-term. The document acknowledged the need for faster economic growth and for another

type of economic growth that will result in job creation and stated that: “Some of the actions we

will be required to take may not be something we have tried before. However, the problem we

are facing demand (sic) from us that we take calculated risks in finding solutions”. The

document proposes to pay “more attention to economic sectors with high potential for growth

and job creation”. These are identified as tourism, transport and livestock production.

Furthermore, the NPC proposes “broad reforms enhancing Namibia’s long-term

competitiveness”.

The NPC advocated for a strategy of “unbalanced growth” for rapid job creation by targeting

specific regions or sectors. It suggests that this “approach is advisable where resources are

limited and where there are strong back and forward linkages for the identified economic

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sectors” It also argues that economies of scale are important to become internationally

competitive and that an unbalanced growth strategy will be helpful to achieve economies of

scale. In order to finance TIPEC, the NPC proposed to increase the budget deficit from 3% to 7%

over a five-year period.

The document pointed out that in the past, many government policies and programmes did not

yield the desired results due to poor implementation. The NPC, therefore, calls for consistency in

the implementation of TIPEC with Ministerial action plans approved by Cabinet and monitored

by the NPC. The document concludes that “it is of utmost importance that if we agree to an

increased Government targeted economic intervention; we must also agree to commit ourselves

to implement our plans in the most judicious manner, lest we waste scarce public financial

resources”.

TIPEEG

Based on the NPC proposal, the Namibian government announced a Targeted Intervention

Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (TIPEEG) in 2011. Its stated target is to

create 104 000 direct and indirect jobs between 2011 and 2014. The budget allocation amounts

to N$ 9,1 billion but will rise to N$ 14, 7 billion if the expenditure on public works programmes

is added. SOE investments during that period are envisaged to amount to another N$ 4 billion.

TIPEEG’s priority sectors are agriculture (N$ 3.6 billion to be invested and 26 171 jobs to be

created); transport (N$ 3,1 billion for 33 276 jobs); housing and sanitation (N$ 1,8 billion for 35

076 jobs), tourism (N$ 649 million for 10 000 jobs) and public works (N$ 5,5 billion for 82 000

jobs). The agricultural projects target crop production, enhanced livestock productivity, forest

management and water resources infrastructure. Transport investments target road construction

and rehabilitation as well as rail network development and port development in Walvis Bay. The

tourism investments aim to increase the number of tourists by 10% through tourism development

and wildlife management programmes while the housing and sanitation programmes target the

servicing of land, the construction of low cost houses and the creation of urban and rural

sanitation.

The TIPEEG document itself acknowledges that TIPEEG will not provide the solution to

unemployment and points out that reducing the unemployment rate “to a more acceptable level

will require more strategic and long-term thinking and efforts”. The document admits that since

many TIPEEG jobs will be temporary, “we might not see a rapid decline in the unemployment

rate over the next 3 years”.

The first TIPEEG results confirm that the implementation during 2011 was rather slow and only

about 7000 new jobs were created. Although, an improvement was recorded in 2012, TIPEEG is

unlikely to lead to 104 000 new jobs by 2013 and thus the task of addressing unemployment

holistically remains daunting. Systematic structural interventions are required to create

sustainable jobs as proposed in this policy.

1.4 Reaching the objectives of NDP4: The role of the NEP

One of the key goals of Vision 2030 is to reduce the unemployment rate to under 5%. Reducing

unemployment has been a target for the country since Independence but the unemployment rate

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has actually increased to 51.2% under the broad definition, according to the latest Labour Force

Survey (2008). This is almost 20 percentage points higher than the 33.3% NDP3 target. Whilst

there have been questions over the accuracy of the unemployment estimates, the unemployment

rate is certainly far too high. Moreover, in 2011, Namibia's Human Development Index (HDI) of

0.625 was below the world's HDI average of 0.682. Namibia ranked 120 out of 187, while the

country is classified as an upper middle income country. Also, despite some very moderate

improvements in the distribution of income, the Gini coefficient of 0.58 still depicts an

unacceptable level of income inequality in Namibia.

While the economy needs to expand at a rapid and sustainable pace, supportive, redistributive

and job-oriented Government policies are needed to address these challenges. As stated by H.E.

President of the Republic of Namibia Hifikepunye Pohamba, in the foreword to NDP4: “Our

biggest challenge as of 2012 is the inadequate and volatile economic growth we have

experienced so far, and the lack of employment opportunities available in the country. The

Government is keenly aware that most of the unemployed are young people and women. This

status quo cannot be allowed to continue: too many of our young people’s dreams are not being

realised. It is our resolve to do all that is necessary to transform our economy into one that is

more robust, one that is able to generate these essential employment opportunities.”

Given the vital need for Namibia to foster inclusive and job-enhancing economic growth, the

NEP aims to present several strategies to promote employment and decent work. The hard-core

of the NEP comprises priority measures, employment targets, instruments and mechanisms that

should be implemented in the years to come. The NEP is not limited to conventional labour

market policies but aims at providing an integrated policy framework which covers

macroeconomic and sectoral aspects as well as the institutional aspects.

The objectives of the NEP are aligned with those of the NDP4. Thus the specific desired

outcomes with regard to reduction of extreme poverty is that, by 2017, the proportion of severely

poor individuals has decreased significantly from 15.8% in 2009/10 to below 10%, based on the

Namibian poverty line. Meanwhile, the number of employed persons is projected to increase

from 409,353 at the end of the NDP3 phase to 499,968 by the end of NDP4, which implies the

creation of an additional 90,615 jobs. It is important to note that NDP4 figures are targeting

permanent jobs.

The NEP is a policy tool aiming at reaching the objective of NDP4 in terms of extreme poverty

reduction and employment creation. It is also linked to Namibia’s industrial policy and thus

provides a policy and institutional framework to strengthen and mainstream the employment

dimension of the identified sectoral priorities as well as the industrialisation strategy. Its entry

points are:

1. Institutional environment: Promote a sustainable environment for formal SMEs

development, capacity building for social dialogue;

2. Education and skills: Increase youth employability through a relevant and effective

TVET system accessible in all regions;

3. Reducing extreme poverty: Introduce a basic income grant and increase access to

employment for marginalized groups;

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4. Public infrastructure: Increase the labour intensity of public investment with a special

focus on rural areas, and

5. Implement an appropriate fiscal and financial policies facilitating productive investment

and job creation and develop rural and agriculture development programmes.

The following sections will present the priority policy areas for employment creation as well as

the strategies to be pursued, the institutional setting for an effective implementation of the NEP

and the monitoring and evaluation systems to track progress.

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Part 2: Policy Framework

2.1 Goals and objectives

The overall goal of the National Employment Policy is to promote full, productive, decent and

freely chosen employment which will eradicate poverty and reduce income inequality.

The related, specific objectives of the policy are:

Policy harmonisation and coherence in order create conducive environment for

employment creation

Promoting skills development and employability

Ensuring gender equality in all areas of employment

Improving working conditions

Creating at least 90 000 additional permanent jobs as set out in NDP 4 by 2017

Facilitating the transition to decent work and formality

Improving and widening social protection

Strengthening labour market information systems (encompassing national employment

services) by 2014

Strengthening social dialogue institutions.

2.2 Overall approach

2.2.1 Pro-employment macroeconomic policies

Namibia’s macroeconomic policies since independence were shaped by the desire to create

favourable investment conditions for business and to orient production towards exports.

Achieving economic growth was and still is seen as a necessary condition for employment

creation. While the conventional macro-economic framework that Namibia implemented over

the years achieved a degree of macroeconomic stability and growth, it has not delivered on the

social front as indicated by the high and worsening levels of unemployment, poverty and

inequality which have the most severe impact on young people and women.

This national employment policy therefore wants to ensure that economic growth in Namibia is

translated into job creation through the following strategies:

Mainstreaming employment in macroeconomic and sectoral policy frameworks/industrial

policy

Creating fiscal strategies to put in place systematic, well-resourced, multi-dimensional

programmes to create decent work opportunities and sustainable enterprises as important

tools for creating jobs and stimulating sustained economic activity

Increasing investment in labour intensive sectors including rural industrialization,

investment in infrastructure, investment in green production and in other priority sectors

such as manufacturing and tourism.

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Well targeted public investments should be the driving force of economic growth and job

creation in Namibia today. Insufficient investments in the past hampered some sectors of the

economy. In the immediate future, public infrastructure assets should therefore be maintained

and upgraded while neglected sectors such as agriculture should be prioritised and import sectors

should be substituted by local investments and production. The immediate key investment

priorities should be:

1. Agriculture (crops, livestock and agri-based industries)

2. Electricity (moving towards self-sufficiency and renewable energy sources)

3. Housing and water (including sanitation)

4. Mineral beneficiation

5. Tourism infrastructure

6. Transport and logistics

In addition, government will continue with budgetary allocations to those sectors which are

already contributing to employment growth. Temporary, widening budget deficits will not

become a long-term phenomenon as government will maintain moderate deficits to ensure

macro-economic stability. However, increased public expenditure is expected to lead to

increased private investments and production in the short and medium term and thus is an

important macro-economic tool to be used.

Overall, the reduction of poverty and income inequality will be a key focus of Namibia’s

economic growth strategy. The key elements are:

The utilisation of labour of the poor and unemployed, with particular emphasis on women

and the youth;

The utilisation of apporpriate technologies to enhance productivity and employment;

The production of goods and services that Namibians consume;

The production of goods and services in rural areas where most people reside; and

The development and expansion of markets in rural areas.

2.2.2 Decent work

Namibia has committed itself to the decent work agenda, spearheaded by the International

Labour Organisation (ILO). The country’s 2010-2014 Decent Work Country Programme was

developed through a participatory planning process involving all tripartite constituents, namely

the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MOLSW) on behalf of Government, the Namibian

Employers’ Federation (NEF) on behalf of employers, and the National Union of Namibian

Workers (NUNW) as well as the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (TUCNA) on behalf of

workers. In addition, other relevant government ministries, the UN system, bilateral and

multilateral cooperating partners and civil society were consulted.

The Namibian DWCP was signed in June 2010 and implementation started in July 2010. A

Decent Work Steering committee was established and the programme focuses on three priority

areas which relate to his employment policy, namely:

Priority 1: Employment promotion to create productive and decent employment in sustainable

enterprises with skilled workers

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Priority 2: Enhanced social protection, including effective response to HIV/AIDS in the

workplace, improved safety and health conditions and better and more gender equitable social

security benefits. This has to include the informal economy which currently operates outside the

social security framework. Thus appropriate strategies have to be devised to incorporate informal

operators and employees.

Priority 3: Strengthened social dialogue and tripartism to apply labour legislation and have

strong workers and employers organisations.

The implementation of the decent work country programme thus supports and enhances the aims

of employment creation and reducing income inequalities. It recognises the creation of decent

jobs not only as a moral and social imperative but also as an economic necessity to create local

demands for consumer goods and sustainable economic cycles of consumption and production.

2.2.3 Focus on the youth

Persistent high levels of youth unemployment carry very high social and economic costs and

threaten the fabric of our society and thus investing in and focusing on youth in particular is an

investment in the presence and future of Namibia. Youth unemployment has become a global

phenomenon and the ILO’s international labour conference of 2012 noted the need for targeted

interventions for young people such as countercyclical policies and demand-side interventions,

public employment programmes, employment guarantee schemes, labour-intensive infrastructure

projects, training subsidies and other youth-specific employment interventions. In this context,

internships, apprenticeships and other work-experience schemes are possible ways to bridge the

gap between school and work as experienced by many young people.

As discussed further in section 2.3.7 on skills development below, education and training should

be responsive to the world of work which can be achieved through strong social partnerships

including social dialogue and collective bargaining on the terms and conditions of education,

internships and apprenticeships. It is essential to develop skills strategies in support of sectoral

policies that harness technologies and know-how and result in higher skills and productivity

levels and better paying jobs. The range and types of apprenticeships can be improved by

complementing learning at the workplace with more structured institutional learning, by

upgrading the training skills of trainers and by including general livelihood skills. Regulating

and monitoring apprenticeships, internships and other work-experience schemes will be crucial

to ensure that these schemes allow for a real learning experience and are not used to replace

regular workers.

A national consultative conference on youth development in Namibia in 2010 recommended

inter alia to introduce free access to tertiary education for all eligible Namibians, to enhance

internship programmes for young people and to introduce incentives for employers willing to

offer such programmes and thus providing young people with work experiences. The conference

also called for the introduction of relevant career guidance and technical skills to youth in rural

areas and appealed to the private sector to show social responsibility by invest at least 10% of its

profits to educational and social development programmes targeting the youth. The

implementation of these recommendations should form part of the national employment policy.

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As a result of the skills mismatch and unmet aspirations of job seekers, many unemployed youth

have stopped actively looking for a job. Thus there is a need for effective job search assistance

to match the skills of unemployed young people with the vacancies available in the labour

market. Such as service can include activities like writing job applications and curriculum vitae,

advice about skills upgrading possibilities and preparing young people for job interviews. Thus,

facilitating the entry of young people into decent jobs has to be the central function of the labour

market information system in Namibia.

Youth education and skills development intervention as well as youth business support

programmes must be simple to implement and cost-effective. Targeted programmes on youth

who are the most disadvantaged hold most promises and a combination of subsidised work

experience (apprenticeships and internships) and vocational training could assist to create the

link between the labour market and training. Thus a combination of education, skills and on-the-

job training with direct support services for young people is a required intervention. Monitoring

and evaluation of such interventions is essential to ensure their effectiveness.

In terms of promoting youth self-employment, the Namibia Youth Credit Scheme (NYCS) and

the Credit for Youth in Business (CYB) programmes will be expanded in terms of reach and

amounts being made available to establish meaningful businesses. Over the past 5 years, the

NYCS has assisted in the creation of over 2500 youth-owned companies as well as over 5000

new jobs. The provision of affordable credit should be accompanied by training, mentorship

support and support when establishing networks. An integrated youth enterprise development

strategy has to be developed as a key instrument for youth employment and economic

empowerment. Also, as pointed out by the ILO, any development of business opportunities for

young people must be carried out in conjunction with improvements in the quality of

employment to create decent work.

2.3 Priority areas and strategies

The proposals in this section draw from applicable national and international experiences and

make employment creation as well as the reduction of inequality a central, deliberate focus,

rather than merely an anticipated outcome of market-oriented macro-economic policies. A

particular focus on women and the youth as those worst affected by poverty and unemployment

has to be maintained in all areas of intervention. The following sections outline the key

economic sectors in which thousands of new jobs will have to be created in the next few years.

It is important to note that although the sectors listed are those with the greatest potential for job

creation, they are by no means the only ones.

2.3.1 Agriculture-led industrialisation

Despite government efforts, the industrialisation and job creation potential of the agricultural

sector has not been realised and it is still characterised by low productivity, poor working

conditions and gender disparities. Communal, subsistence farmers have limited access to

services and social protection and overall the agricultural sector lacks value addition and

investments. Agriculture received an average of only 1.9% of public investments over the past

10 years and its share of GDP and employment declined dramatically. However, as far back as

July 2003 Namibia endorsed the African Union’s (AU) Maputo Declaration on Agriculture and

Food Security in Africa. Through this Declaration African Heads of State and Government

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committed themselves to allocate at least 10% of their annual national budgets to the agricultural

sector within five years (meaning by 2008). The vehicle to achieve this objective of the Maputo

Declaration is the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP),

which was established in 2003 under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

The CAADP focuses on the primary agricultural sector and consists of four pillars, namely:

1. Land and water management (to ensure an increase in production);

2. Market access (for primary agricultural products);

3. Food supply and hunger (to ensure food security); and

4. Agricultural research (to enhance on-farm production).

A formal CAADP Working Group was only established in Namibia in June 2010 but Namibia

has not yet met its obligation arising from the signing of the CAADP Compact.

The continuous import of agricultural products such as noodles, pastas, vegetables and fruits

undermines the employment potential of the sector. Maize and omahangu flower based

processed goods such as biscuits, pasta, cakes etc provide entry points for manufacturing which

have not yet been effectively utilised. A precondition for sustainable manufacturing is the

creation of effective consumer demand for such goods and thus production activities have to be

linked to markets. In Asia, for example, there are about 30 labour intensive rice flour based

products which utilise locally fabricated, appropriate technology in production.

Thus far, agriculture performed poorly in terms of economic and employment growth and the

dependency on imported food discouraged local food production. About 60% of Namibians still

live in rural areas and depend on agriculture. A deliberate focus on this area can significantly

reduce poverty and unemployment. Agriculture should therefore focus on food security as well

as on agro-based industries for economic diversification and the creation of a large number of

permanent jobs. According to the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation

(FAO),“food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to

sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active

and healthy life”. Namibia’s adverse climatic conditions limit the agricultural production

potential of the country in terms of what can be produced, as well as the quantities that can be

produced. This in itself limits Namibia’s potential to be food self-sufficient but food security is

an achievable goal.

In the coming year, Namibia needs to move towards agriculture-driven industrialisation with

forward and backward linkages to other economic sectors. Public sector investments in this area

will be needed to overcome possible reluctance of the private sector to undertake the required

investments. Rural centres have to become the growth poles as part of a sustainable growth and

poverty-reduction strategy. Urban areas cannot provide the required large number of jobs as

Namibia has not yet initiated its transition to industrialisation.

Agriculture-led industrialisation requires the necessary enabling environment, research and

development, technology dissemination and adaptation and well as the development of agro-

industrial clusters. This has to become the anchor for Namibia’s economic transformation and

diversification. Public investments in agriculture have to be enhanced substantially to reach the

targets set out in the Maputo declaration.

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A very effective intervention of increasing agricultural produce in Namibian shops was the

introduction of quotas by the Namibian Agricultural Board. At the time the first quota was

introduced in 2004, about 95% of horticultural products on sale by retailers were imported while

today this figure dropped to about 60%. Thus about 40% of horticultural produce sold in

Namibian shops is now locally produced, creating new jobs in the agricultural sector. This quota

could be increased to about 60% in the years to come to fully utilise Namibia’s productive

potential.

The quotas are reviewed regularly in negotiations with retail traders and agricultural producers

and have been a very effective stimulus for local production. Maize self-sufficiency has now

reached about 60% compared to only 25% a few years ago and potatoe imports were

significantly reduced. Likewise, the ban on imports of flower has successfully protected local

millers (currently 28) from potentially destructive international competition. Thus the Agriboard

model of intervention which is based on reaching consensus as well as systematic checks and

balances has shown how local production and employment creation can be enhanced.

Other interventions that will be considered for job creation in the agricultural sector are:

The restoration of national rangelands through labour-intensive de-bushing programmes.

The use of the harvested bush as biomass for renewable energy generation

The proposed apprenticeship programme for young, unemployed people on farms to train

them in basic farming skills.

Creating greater access for rural youth to microfiance to support micro and small

enterprises and productive investment;

Implementation of the agricultural projects identified in NDP4.

the selective subsidisation of subsistence farmers to boost their production and

contribution to the national food basket;

the continued promotion and expansion of the Green Scheme with special emphasis on

including small farmers ;

the establishment of agricultural fresh produce markets as well as other supportive

infrastructure such as silos; and

the establishment of linkages between agricultural producers and local consumer

institutions such as school hostels and hospitals.

During March 2010 Namibia endorsed the AU’s Abuja Declaration on Development of

Agribusiness and Agro-industries in Africa, which supports the African Agribusiness and Agro-

industries Development Initiative.

2.3.2 Value-addition

A more forceful and deliberate approach will be adopted to channel investments into the

conversions of local raw materials into final products. An export levy was already introduced to

discourage the export of raw materials and Namibia’s export incentives are currently being

reviewed. During the past 17 years, export-oriented production through the country’s Export

Processing Zones (EPZs) has been a key focus but by 2010, EPZs had only created 2 145 jobs

and thus fell far short of the initial expectations despite the generous incentives offered. Thus,

public investments and in particular government’s infrastructure investments will now be geared

26

towards achieving local value-addition, coupled with substantial protection of infant industries

and support for emerging industries. Industrialisation remains an essential government objective

as a basis to achieve sustainable wealth and job creation. By 2030, Namibia is envisaged to

export value-added and service-oriented products while most of the country’s GDP is made up of

manufacturing and services. This will require a change of Namibia’s narrow economic structure

which still relies on the export of raw materials and thus is vulnerable to external shocks.

The processing of those raw materials with the greatest potential for employment creation should

be given first priority, namely agricultural processing (as outlined above); diamond cutting and

polishing (already undertaken by 13 companies in 2010) as well as jewellery manufacturing,

fish processing, copper and gold smelter; zinc processing etc. Investments in raw materials that

offer little employment potential and rely on the import of technology and expertise from abroad

(such as uranium processing) will be de-emphasised. Instead a deliberate focus will be placed on

those sectors which either already contribute substantially to economic and employment growth

or have the potential to do so in the years to come, like agriculture.

The Draft National Human Resources Plan identifies the beneficiation of local raw materials as a

key strategy: “ A way of doing this is by investing in the beneficiation of resources. Based on the

fact that the production of raw materials, and particularly of diamonds, will continue to expand

and contribute to the Namibian economy, it is important to foresee value addition strategies

especially through local beneficiation. A 2010 research makes the case for local diamond

beneficiation as a feasible proposition within a structured framework. Based on the analysis of

supply and demand patterns in the world diamond market, it appears that a balance between

rough exports and local beneficiation is essential in order to secure a bigger stake in the global

market. The feasibility of a balanced strategy relies on incentive strategies for investors and the

removal of barriers for local manufacturers to create a sustainable downstream industry. Also,

the Draft Manufacturing Strategy Framework considers beneficiation of local raw materials

through public/private partnership one of the key priority sectors along with the development of

the mariculture industry and the transversal SME sector.

Namibia has one of the most productive fishing grounds, based on the Benguela Current System,

one of the four eastern boundary upwelling systems in the world. Namibia‘s 200 nautical mile

Exclusive Economic Zone’s (EEZs) commercial biomass contains about 20 different species.

The country exports 90 percent of its production and since domestic consumption is limited,

growth in the industry relies in opening new markets to facilitate the diversification and value

addition policies in the fisheries processing sector. Aquaculture and Mariculture are considered

key areas to enhance food security, generate income, improve rural livelihood and incentivize

self-sustaining businesses”.

Namibia’s industrial policy of 2012 points to the need to proactively intervene if the private

sector is reluctant to invest in transformative economic ventures. Private investments might focus

too narrowly on immediate profits and thus medium to long-term public investments might be

required to initiate new manufacturing industries and a large number of manufacturing jobs.

As outlined in section 2.3.1 above, agriculture-based industries will form the starting point of

industrialisation, for example maroela oils and beauty products, leather and meat products,

omahangu-based pastas and biscuits; tomato-based products for the fishing canning industry etc.

This will be complemented by the further processing of Namibia’s minerals. Such industrial

27

development is envisaged as a shared responsibility between the private sector and the Namibian

government with special emphasis on supporting SMEs to enter the new industries.

2.3.3 Public works: housing and sanitation

Public works programmes are one of the most immediate intervention strategies to create a

significant number of jobs and Namibia has gained important and encouraging experiences with

the construction of rural roads through labour-based works and with the construction of other

public infrastructure. Public works programmes to create housing and sanitation facilities were

identified as a key component of TIPEEG. As about 500 000 Namibians are currently living in

shacks, unable to afford decent housing, there is a massive potential for public works

programmes in this area. The are two Government housing programmes, namely, the Build

Together Programme (BTP) and initiatives taken under the aegis of the state-owned housing

organisation, the National Housing Enterprise (NHE). The BTP started in 1992 and was

decentralised to the Regional Councils and Local Authorities in 1998. The BTP targets urban and

rural low income groups. By July 2011, a total of 9,609 houses were completed under the

Decentralised Build Together Programme (DBTP) in all 13 regions and a total of 17, 329 people

have benefitted from this scheme since its inception. The effectiveness of the scheme is

hampered by the non- availability of affordable serviced plots, lack of technical staff, high cost

of building material, cumbersome and outdated planning and proclamation processes. Thus the

DBTP has not been able to address the backlog of about 80 000 houses in Namibia.

The delivery rate of affordable housing by the NHE to low and medium-income groups of the

Namibian population, according to its statutory mandate, similarly fell short of expectations. In

line with Vision 2030 and the NDP3 it was tasked to construct 7 000 houses by the year 2012

which translates to a delivery of 1,200 houses per annum. However, the average number of

houses delivered per annum by the NHE since 1990 stands at only 457. Thus the current

delivery rate falls considerably short of the annual housing target and thus a systematic

intervention in the form of public works programmes will not only assist to speed up housing

delivery for low income households but will also create ongoing employment opportunities. In

order to curtail the costs and to ensure sustainability, the use of local building materials,

preferably cost-cutting inventions like “K Bricks” or locally produced housing panels will be

critical. The use of recycled materials as exhibited by the Habitat Centre is another intervention

with great potential. Using local labour, for example the direct beneficiaries of low-cost housing,

is another aspect of sustainable housing delivery. Thus the delivery of housing as a public works

strategy will provide various social and economic benefits, with a target of 300 000 houses by

2030 as stated in Namibia’s second MDG Progress Report.

Until recently, the issue of sanitation received little attention or resources in Namibia. However,

the 2008 Water Supply and Sanitation Policy (WSASP), and the 2009 National Sanitation

Strategy (NSS) 2010-2015 recognise the critical importance of acceptability, availability and

affordability of water. It provides for water supply and sanitation to become available to all

Namibians, at acceptable quality and affordable costs. The policy also emphasizes “equity” as

an overarching principle, and specifically provides for community participation. It further

explicitly prioritizes water for personal and domestic uses over all other uses.

28

The Sanitation Strategy identified 20 strategic objectives with accompanying performance

indicators, and 186 initiatives to transform the country’s hitherto under-performing sanitation

subsector. This includes the allocation of responsibilities to key Government Ministries and the

costing of each of the initiatives to be undertaken to ensure that the requisite funds are raised,

allocated and spent to realize the right to sanitation in Namibia. The Minister of Finance, during

her tabling of the 2012/13 budget, already announced the creation of a new budget line/vote

called Housing and Sanitation, as a strategic sector under the current Medium Term Expenditure

Framework ( MTEF). Has to continue for years to come with a targeted focus on the servicing of

land, construction of low-cost houses, and urban and rural sanitation. This will undoubtedly

create significant number of medium-term jobs across the country.

2.3.4 Job creation in the informal economy

A number of factors have contributed to a growth in Namibia’s informal economy and this sector

faces a host of challenges such as lack of recognition, lack of inclusion in decision making, lack

of skills and capital to move beyond “survivalism”, low wages, lack of access to finance, lack of

social protection, poor health and occupational safety etc. However, the informal economy

presents opportunities for employment creation and will thus be systematically supported.

As a first step, the lack of recent and accurate information about the size and structure of the

informal economy in Namibia and its contribution to livelihoods needs to be addressed. A

detailed study to measure the size and activities of the sector and can assist in putting

programmes in place to create jobs and improve skills.

Furthermore, there must be a recognition of the informal sector by government, town councils

and municipalities. Informality should be recognised as a legitimate option to do business and to

get out of poverty while an appropriate policy framework must be implemented to facilitate the

transition to decent work and formality. In this regard, it will be important to establish “informal

sector bargaining forums” at regional and local levels to allow informal economy organisations

to negotiate a conducive environment with the relevant authorities. Furthermore, the extension of

social security protection and adherence to occupational safety and health (OSH) standards and

the provisions of the Labour Act should be discussed at such forums.

Protection against unfair competition

Support for the informal economy will depend on the macro-economic framework in which

informal businesses have to operate. Open free market economies and fierce competition may

undermine the development and growth of SMEs as was shown in many countries. The “South-

East Asian Tigers”, for example, advanced their economic growth on the basis of state

interventions in the economy, coupled with systematic support and protection for local

companies. This only changed gradually once local companies had grown and were firmly

established, able to survive international competition.

Such experiences hold relevant lessons for Namibia since our markets are dominated by imports

in virtually all sectors. Retail, banking, mining and fishing, for example, are almost completely

dominated by transnational corporations (TNCs). Namibia’s manufacturing sector remained

very small despite the various attempts to kick-start local processing through Export Processing

Zones (EPZs) and other incentives for (mostly foreign) investors. The potentially damaging

29

impact of free trade agreements was highlighted during the negotiations regarding the proposed

Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union (EU). For Namibia to

succeed with employment creation through SMEs in both the formal and informal sector, it is

crucial to protect them against unfair competition from mass produced goods of industrialised

countries.

Direct support for informal businesses

A systematic support strategy for the informal economy needs to be based on a comprehensive

needs assessment, for example amending bylaws and regulations to support informal businesses

instead of undermining them. Planning and zone decisions, access to public facilities like market

stalls and industrial areas with easy lease agreements and affordable electricity, water and

sanitation facilities are important steps.

Systematic support for informal businesses will help them to grow into formal business over

time. Such support should include not only technical and legal support for informal businesses

but also the extension of social security protection to informal economy workers. Informal

businesses must be assisted to reduce their vulnerability, to improve the job quality, and access

to markets and services. Informal businesses need “peer support” though business membership

organisations and informal worker organisations. Informal enterprises should also be considered

in all development policies, strategies and programmes. Informal businesses also need finance in

the form of small loans at low interest rates that are affordable to the sector. A possible model

could be the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh which lifted millions of poor people out of poverty

through the promotion of self-employment, utilising micro credit without collateral but with

community commitment. Those who received loans are producing goods and services for local

consumption and are thus sustainable. To date, about 36 countries have replicated the Grameen

Bank model.

The new SME bank will have to play a similar role in supporting informal businesses which

needs loans at low interest rates and without collateral. Such loans should cover the core

business expenses and the SME bank should have centres in all regions. In addition, advisory

services for informal businesses should be provided at SME markets and the idea of commission-

based advice when dealing with banks or tenders could be explored. Informal businesses also

need a one-stop-shop to assist them with developing a business plan and to monitor and evaluate

progress.

“Formalising” the informal economy

The lack of accessible support currently forces many SMEs into informality. The “formalisation”

of informal businesses should include an easy way of registering businesses, coupled with an

incentive such as basic business training. Registration should be a cheap and simple

administrative process that is separate from licensing. Possibilities for registration need to be

made easily accessible for informal businesses which are likely to be willing to register if there

are benefits to be gained. Incentives for voluntary SME registration could include inter alia,

access to free management and technical courses. On the other hand, informal businesses must

be encouraged and convinced to comply with decent work requirements, including the provisions

of the Labour Act, social security schemes and OSH standards.

30

Namibia’s current tax system could be reviewed to make it easier to understand and implement

as complex administrative requirement can be more of a hurdle to businesses than the tax rates

themselves. Other important steps towards formalisation are:

Land ownership and the capacity to raise capital through land based collateral;

Increase of access for informal operators to the full range of financial services through

microfinance institutions that target informal businesses;

Creating concrete incentives for formalisation

There is also a need for systematic skills development (of both business operators and their

employees) and recognition of skills through the Namibia Training Authority (NTA), the

Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) and SME service providers. Such skills development

should be targeted to cater for the specific needs of informal businesses and include pricing and

costing, bookkeeping, labour legislation and employment contracts. In addition leadership

training and mentorship programmes could enhance the low skills levels in the informal

economy. Recognised vocational and business skills training is an important step in the process

of formalisation.

Linkages between producers and retailers

The introduction of quotas for horticulture products at retailers in Namibia (as implemented by

the Namibia Agronomic Board in recent years) to source about 30% of horticulture produce

locally may hold great benefits for Namibian producers. Such a strategy should also be used to

uplift the informal economy, for example to create access for their goods to the shelves of larger

retail businesses. Linkages between producers in the informal economy to retailers through the

creation of local supply chains could well be achieved through such interventions which target

the supply and demand side at the same time. Systematic mentorship programmes should

support such linkages which must aim deliberately at informal businesses with the will and

potential to become formal. Likewise, government procurement like army and school uniforms,

school furniture etc. could be deliberately sourced from local (informal) SMEs as a deliberate

developmental intervention.

Creating local demand

Nurturing informal businesses is desirable because they tend to be labour-intensive and thus may

create and sustain more jobs than the larger business sector. However, small businesses tend to

focus on local markets and thus the creation of a local demand for basic consumer goods is

crucial for small businesses. Cash transfers like social pensions and a national Basic Income

Grant (BIG) will therefore have a positive effect on the development of informal businesses.

The BIG pilot project in Otjivero has shown how the small cash injection into a local economy

created a local market and consequently resulted in the emergence of a variety of new, small

businesses such as bakeries, dress-makers, shoe repairs, barber shops, brick makers etc.

2.3.5 Green jobs

Green jobs are defined as decent jobs that contribute substantially to preserving or restoring

environmental quality, including jobs that help to protect ecosystems and biodiversity, reduce

energy, material and water consumption through high-efficiency strategies, de-carbonize the

31

economy and minimize or altogether avoid generation of all forms of waste and pollution. In

practical terms, green jobs reduce the consumption of energy and raw materials, limit the green

house gas emission, minimise waste and pollution, protect and restore ecosystems and adapt to

climate change. Thus a green economy in the Namibian context is seen as an economy that

“improves and balances human well being for all Namibians through the efficient and

sustainable use of all resources”.

Namibia’s green economy process started in 2009 with the aim of identifying green opportunities

including biotrade, eco-tourism, biochar (converting bush encroachment into carbon offsets) and

green labelling. A national green economy process was initiated in 2011 and working groups

were established to look into different aspects. Although no coherent green economy policy

framework is in place yet, there are various existing policies and opportunities that should be

harnessed immediately for the creation of green jobs across various sectors. These include:

Accelerated development of waterless sanitation systems, particularly in rural areas;

Use of alternative building materials, technologies and housing types for mass housing

projects;

Promotion and provision of renewable energy, particularly solar, with production of solar

panels and maintenance taking place in Namibia. This is especially relevant for rural

communities without electricity from the national grid;

Recycling and waste management;

Debushing for employment creation though Independent Power Producers (IPP) and for

use as alterantive fuel, charcoal, and source for building school furniture;

Promotion of water-use efficient technologies such as drip irrigation;

Low carbon transport initiatives such as hybrid and electric transport (private and public).

A shift towards renewable energy will also lessen Namibia’s dependency on energy imports

(most from South Africa and generated by environmentally damaging fossil-fired power plants)

and thus contribute towards greater energy self- sufficiency. Thus provision for renewable

energy sources in all new buildings should be legislated and financial incentives for conversion

of existing buildings should be created.

There is no doubt that renewable energy technologies that convert the country’s abundant solar,

wind and biomass resources into electrical energy will not only address Namibia’s short-term

energy needs but will also provide opportunities for the country’s long-term development.

Investments in renewable energy and energy efficient technologies will result in long-term

energy price stability, lessen Namibia’s import dependencies and the creation of new local jobs

through the establishment of innovative local value chains. Namibia’s excellent solar regime can

be harnessed by solar heaters, solar photovoltaic technologies and solar power plants. Invader

bush represents a significant and sustainable biomass energy source as the systematic use of

invader bush can generate thousands of long-term jobs in rural areas. Power plants fuelled by

invader bush can operate similar to the tradition coal-fired power plants, generating electricity

and jobs in the process.

The deliberate setting up of value chains focusing on the processing of biomass in rural areas

will create new jobs and business opportunities in rural areas and at the same time help to clear

rangeland. Using this local biomass resource for the generation of electricity will thus create

32

new developmental economic opportunities. Private and public investments in this area to create

new value addition will create sustainable energy supply as well as long-term jobs. Therefore

targeted investments in renewable energy and energy efficient technologies will be supported by

targeted tax and investment incentives. These will help to develop labour-intensive, sustainable

renewable energy enterprises.

In terms of waste management, biogas should be produced from landfill sites and such gas could

be used for cooking purposes in rural areas. Increased emphasis on recycling by local authorities

and private companies will create additional jobs and so will the construction of dry toilets and

closed wet sanitation systems whereby biodigesters are installed to generate gas from toilets. The

launch of the Recycle Namibia Forum (RNF) in 2011 was a step in this direction.

Such deliberate interventions are elements of a green job creation strategy which recognises the

need for employment intensive growth paths that focus on adversely affected groups like women

and youth and at the same time contribute to long-term sustainability.

There are many opportunities for “greening” other jobs too, for example by equipping workers

and employers with the knowledge and skills to improve resource efficiency (especially energy),

to introduce cleaner and safer working methods, reducing waste while maximising the recycling

and re-use of waste products. Also, the harvesting of rainwater and the recycling of water can be

improved and expanded. Thus capacity building for green innovation and co-operation can play a

significant role in creating new businesses and jobs. Such green jobs need to be decent which can

be challenging in areas such as waste management, agriculture and precarious forms of

employment. The improvement of the quality of jobs has to go hand-in-hand with

environmentally sustainable economic activities.

2.3.6 Tourism

Namibia is the 4th fastest growing tourism economy in the world and the Community Based

Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) is the centrepiece of the country’s sustainable tourism

activities. In 2009, tourism provided 22 000 direct jobs and another 59 000 indirect jobs and thus

both TIPEEG and NDP4 identified tourism as one of the priority sectors. Namibia’s tourism

sector is currently nature-based and dominated by private operators. However, the income

generated through community involvement in tourism activities has increased from about N$ 600

000 in 1998 to N$ 45,8 million in 2010.This trend needs to be encouraged and supported as

community-based tourism holds the most social benefits. Cultural tourism will be increasingly

promoted alongside nature tourism and 11 pilot sites were identified to offer 5 different types of

cultural tourism experiences in the near future.

Tourism offers opportunities in areas where few other economic opportunities exist and tourism

jobs are geographically widespread and can be created with lower capital investments than in

other sectors. According the National Human Resource Plan, growth in the travel and tourism

economy is forecasted to increase by 7.7 percent annually over the next 10 years. Travel and

tourism is expected to create 66 000 direct jobs by 2021, rising by 7.6 percent per year. With

such prospects for Namibia, adequate planning offers vast opportunities for development,

particularly in rural areas, which are hardest hit by unemployment. Rural economic development

33

through the promotion of tourism has been singled out as a policy priority by Governments

across Southern Africa, for a number of reasons:

The sector has grown fast in recent years, and projections for the sub-region

predict further double-digit growth in the coming decade particularly for

niche tourism products like wildlife tourism, eco-tourism, and community

based tourism that are often by default linked to land use in rural areas

Tourism services are human resource-intensive; for example, in the hotel

segment of the sector, each hotel bed on average translates into one

employment opportunity. Also, there are up to three workers indirectly

dependent on each person working in hotels, such as travel agency staff,

guides, taxi and bus drivers, food and beverage suppliers, laundry workers,

textile workers, gardeners, shop staff for souvenirs and others, as well as

airport employees.

Tourism offers entry-level employment opportunities also for unskilled and

semi-skilled labour, an important consideration in rural areas where people

often hold lower-level educational attainments.

On average half of the sector workforce is 25 years or younger, partly

explained by attractiveness of the nature of the service transaction

particularly for younger people, and indicative of the link between tourism

development and youth employment promotion

Overall, 60-70% of the workforce in the sector is female - tourism thus is potentially an

avenue for the empowerment of women in the world of work. However, the world of

work in the tourism sector (as in most other sectors of the economy) is still largely

characterised by gender stereotypes with regards to the role of women. Women tend to

be concentrated in selected professions like catering services and perform lower-level

roles like cleaning services. Women are under-represented among owner-managers of

community based businesses linked into the value chain for tourism services. Thus

employment in tourism will have to be complemented by a gender strategy to address

the imbalance and to facilitate creation of opportunities for participation by women.

Despite the potential for employment creation in the tourism sector it is important to note that

tourism is extremely susceptible to external shocks as could be seen during the global economic

crisis that had a direct effect on the industry since 2008. Economic downturns in countries from

which tourists are sourced tend to result in lower number of tourists and thus Namibia has to

diversify its tourism market to not cater only for overseas’ tourists but increasingly also for local

and regional tourists.

Furthermore, given Namibia’s fragile eco-system and its marketing as a destination for nature

tourism, great care has to be taken not to destroy this attraction. Therefore, an increase in tourist

arrivals which will create additional jobs has to be balanced with efforts to conserve the

country’s natural environment. Such “green tourism” has a large potential to create new jobs and

reduce poverty, especially if it is community-based. It is labour intensive, can easily target

women and young people, has low entry levels regarding skills and can be based on the local

supply of goods and services, including the construction of tourist accommodation with local

materials.

34

2.3.7 Skills development

There is remarkable consensus in Namibia that skill shortages abound. The issue of skills

shortages is a clear strategic concern across most economic sectors. The link between education

and training, skills (human capital) and economic progress has long been acknowledged. The

disparity between skills imparted by the training institutions and the skills demanded by industry

and commerce, and the economy at large is also articulated in key government policy documents.

Vision 2030 envisages an integrated, unified, flexible and high quality education and training

system to balance supply and demand in the labour market to achieve full employment.

It is now widely acknowledged that despite the extensive investments in education since

independence, learning outcomes and preparedness of graduates as well as the absorption

capacity of higher education and vocational training institutions have remained major

challenges. A survey of the Namibian Employers’ Federation (NEF) conducted in 2010 revealed

that 96% of employers across industrial sectors experienced the challenge of skills deficits with

51% describing the deficit as severe. Similarly, the Global Competitiveness report 2011-2012

found that an inadequately educated workforce was the most problematic factor for doing

business in Namibia.

The newly developed National Human Resources Plan (NHRP) will be the key instrument to

address unemployment and skills shortages. It targets sectors with potential for substantial

employment growth such as tourism, agriculture, fishing and manufacturing. Special emphasis

will also be placed on the needs of small businesses which can play a significant role in job

creation.

The NHRP has four central objectives:

1. To identify sectors with high potential for employment creation and economic growth;

2. To identify and develop the skills and qualifications required in the labour-market by

sector and subsector of the economy and by timeframes.

3. To develop the technical skills, managerial skills and technological know-how required to

start SMEs in those sectors where there is clear opportunities to participate in value

chains and channels.

4. To develop the knowledge required to achieve the country’s long-term vision of

developing a knowledge-based society.

By differentiating supply and demand mismatches from technology, research and innovation

gaps the NHRP will address the skills deficit alongside the need to diversify the economy. This

is a very important distinction as it places education and training at the centre of human capital

development. Lifelong learning strategies deserve special attention as they include the

development of general and applied skills and knowledge, social values and interpersonal skills

and personal qualities. Adult learning strategies will target employability for people with low

education attainment; vocational education would target full employment for people with

secondary schooling or relevant experience; higher education would aim at professional

education and applied research to create a knowledge base that would contribute to employment

generation; and continuing learning would allow for bringing peoples’ skills up to the level

required in a changing environment.

35

The NHRP will address gaps and mismatches between supply and demand in the labour market

by taking up the challenge of eliminating barriers to opportunity, employment and productivity.

It will be geared towards specific objectives that are linked to developmental goals. For example,

in a staged approach, the first stage (5 year strategic framework) will focus on meeting the urgent

skill gaps and address non-structural barriers to employment, mostly referring to information

gaps and mismatches. Moreover, this stage will strategize around capacity building for the

knowledge base economy. A second stage (10 year strategic framework) will focus on

developing skills in active knowledge economy sectors, while strategizing on SMEs as sources

of sustainable productivity at a smaller scale. A third stage (15 year strategic framework) will

build on the previous two, aiming at a diversified labour force responding to an economy where

employment is distributed along the lines of productivity and competitiveness in the primary,

secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy.

In all three stages the NHRP aligns to key result areas leading to Vision 2030. Namibia will use

the Occupational Demand and Supply Outlook Model (ODSOM) to achieve forecasting that

underpins the country’s human resources planning. the starting point is always the analysis of

current and future human resources supply and demand tied in with economic trends. The

anticipated benefits of this approach are:

1. Achieving labour market balance.

2. Reducing adjustment costs.

3. Increasing productivity and efficiency.

4. Reducing social and economic problems arising from labour market imbalances (e.g. a

shortage of doctors, social problems associated with high unemployment.

5. Ensuring that workers are employed in occupations that correspond to their skill level

resulting in significant productivity and efficiency gains.

6. Improving personal and public investment decisions, particularly pertaining to

investments in education and training.

The draft policy on recognition of prior learning (RPL) within the vocational education and

training (VET) system focuses on actual skills, i.e. what people can practically do. RPL will

be applied more consistently and systematically and is expected to lead to improved work

opportunities, job security as well as opportunities for further education and training. RPL is

consistent with the competency-based education and training approach and will be developed

in line with the needs of the labour market. Likewise, the various industry skills committees

will play a critical role to ensure that the education and training programmes on offer in

Namibia produce the skills required by the economy in terms of quality and quantity.

2.3.8 Improved social protection

In addition to the various social protection programmes mentioned earlier, the Social Security

Commission in co-operation with the ILO is currently working on the establishment of a

National Pension Fund and a National Medical Benefit. These new funds will be contributory

funds, targeting employed people. The SSC also envisages an expansion of its reach, for

example by including and targeting the informal sector. It also plans to introduce a “return to

work programme’ for people affected by accidents or sickness. The aim is to enable employees

36

to return to work in a timely manner and to encourage modifications at the workplace to enable

such returns. Furthermore, the SSC is exploring an unemployment benefit fund to offer certain

short-term benefits plus training and job placement services. The SSC envisages and expansion

of its current coverage and also wants to develop a scheme that is appropriate for the informal

economy.

However, the current social protection measures as well as the envisaged new funds will not

reach all Namibians affected by poverty and thus Namibia will consider the introduction of a

national Basic Income Grant (BIG) as had been proposed by the Namibia Tax Commission in

2002. The social and economic effectiveness of such a universal grant was shown during a pilot

project in Omitara in the Omaheke region in 2008-2009. Besides the poverty-reducing effects

and the improvements in the health and education status of Omitara residents, the BIG has also

shown that it is an important enabler of economic activities as several small businesses emerged

after the introduction of the grant. This is a critical aspect when it comes to employment creation

through small businesses at local level. The BIG as a component of a comprehensive social

protection strategy creates a local cash flow which created the necessary conditions to sustain the

emerging small businesses such as a bakery, brick production, shoe repair, hairdresser, and

manufacture of traditional dresses.

Cash transfers like the BIG will create effective local demand for the goods and services

produced by the small businesses. This is an important aspect of any sustainable employment

creation initiative in Namibia as interventions on the supply side such as SME loans need to be

complemented by creating local demand for the goods produced. The 2012 Business and

Investment Climate Survey found that the low demand for goods and services was the most

important factor hampering businesses in Namibia, with micro-enterprises, informal businesses

and women-owned businesses being particularly affected.

2.3.9 Enabling business environment

The private sector is a key player in the economic sphere and has a crucial role to play in

creating jobs. While Namibia’s business environment is fairly conducive there are still

bureaucratic hindrances relating to starting a business, registering property, trading across

borders, complex tax systems etc. Furthermore access to finance for SMEs (formal or informal)

is restricted and they operate outside the mainstream of the economy. Thus an important

supportive step for private sector employment creation is to improve and streamline the process

of starting a business, registering property, paying taxes and trading across borders. Namibia’s

economic policy is geared towards openness, ensuring market access for domestically produced

goods and services. Infant industry protection will be negotiated by government when and

where necessary. Also, government will use its procurement policy and other measures to

stimulate the development of local industries with potential. Incentives for industrialisation will

be well targeted and time-bound and reviewed regularly to achieve the desired outcomes.

As outlined before, it is crucial to provide SMEs with access to credit through the recently

established SME bank, to create forward and backward linkages between established large firms

and SME’s, and to provide technical and managerial skills as well as relevant technology to

boost production. International experiences have shown that SMEs have the ability to create a

large number of jobs and that they do not retrench easily during times of economic difficulties.

37

Strategic Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s) as well as incentives for the private sector to set up

businesses in rural areas are other strategies that should be used to create business and job

opportunities. PPPs offer distinct advantages in the government provision of infrastructure and

services, for example:

By using the private sector’s delivery and management expertise;

By reaching a better understanding of the life costs of investments;

By sharing sharing risks with the private sector and making payments upon actual

delivery;

By achieving socio-economic objectives by weaving them into the design of PPP

projects.

Another aspect of an enabling business environment is the cutting of bureaucratic red tape which

can severely hamper business operations. Thus labour market information systems linking job

seekers with prospective employers need to be fast, reliable and responsive to have the desired

outcomes. Also, poor labour relations can undermine economic development and job creation

and thus government will continue its efforts to broker a social compact between labour and

employers to ensure a united approach to development.

2.3.10 Strengthened social dialogue

It is in this context, that effective social dialogue plays an important role in the process of job

creation. Currently, Namibia’s main tripartite social dialogue structure is the Labour Advisory

Council (LAC) which brings together government, employers and trade unions. The social

partners are currently exploring ways of making this structure more effective and possibly

broadening its mandate to provide for some joint decision-making on socio-economic issues

instead of having merely an advisory role on labour matters. This debate is informed by the

realisation that developmental issues can best be tackled through close collaboration between

government and its social partners in both the formal and informal economy. Thus broadened

social dialogue will be critical in the implementation of this national employment policy to

achieve the best possible impact.

Effective social dialogue is also crucial for the achievement of decent work and for reaching

consensus about a developmental social compact to spearhead the creation of the required

number of decent jobs. Collective bargaining on minimum wages, decent employment

conditions, minimum requirements for young interns at work etc. coupled effective labour

inspections at the workplace will be some of the key strategies to make decent employment a

reality.

38

PART 3: Policy Implementation Plan

The National Employment Policy can only be successful if its implemented in a structured and

co-ordinated manner by the various role players involved. The National Planning Commission is

the lead agency in terms of the NDP4 and thus also has a key role to play to ensure the

implementation of the NEP. The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare is the custodian of

Namibia’s Decent Work Country Programme and the NEP while the Ministry of Environment

and Tourism is the lead agency in terms of environmental policies, sustainable development and

green jobs. The Ministry of trade and Industry on the other hand is in charge of Namibia’s

industrialisation policy and strategy, SME development and investment strategies. The Ministry

of Works and transport as well as the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing

and Rural Development will be involved in public works programmes and housing projects and

will also be involved in the implementation of sanitation projects in collaboration with the

Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry. The later will also play a central role in agricultural

development and agriculture-based industrialisation.

In addition, there are various other agencies and non-state actors whose contributions to the NEP

will be critical. These include the Namibia Agricultural Board, farmers’ unions, employers

organisations, trade unions, informal sector organisations, developmental NGOs, community

organisations, the private sector, development partners and others. Tables 3 and 4 below do not

present all interventions to be taken to create jobs between 2013 and 2017, but they highlight the

key initiatives that will have to be implemented as well as the lead agencies to be involved.

Table 3: Action Plan

Priority Area Action to be taken Implementer Timeframe

Agriculture-led

Industrialisation

Implementing the CAAP

Compact

MAWF 2013

onwards

Market research on potential

for local agricultural

products.

MAWF with Agriboard

2013

Local production (value-

addition).

MAWF, MTI with

Agriboard

2013-2017

Increased public investments

in agriculture

MAWF 2013

onwards

Increasing quotas for locally

produced fresh produce.

Agriboard Ongoing

since 2004

39

De-bushing farmland.

MAWF, MLR, with

NAU and AEA

2013-2017

Apprenticeship programme

on farms.

NAU with NNFU, NTA

and NAFWU

2013-2017

Implementing agricultural

projects (NDP4) and green

schemes.

MAWF with MLR,

NNFU, NAU

2013-2017

Create markets for fresh

produce and silos for storage.

MAWF with Agriboard

and MTI

Ongoing,

2013-2017

Link producers to local

markets (schools, hospitals)

MAWF, MHSS, MoE,

MSS, MTI

2013-2017

Value Addition Public investments in

infrastructure for local value

addition

MTI with MWT, NPC 2013-2017

PPPs to source investments

for local value addition

MTI with NPC, MoF,

MWT and private sector

2013-2017

Enforcing export levy and

encouraging processing of

diamonds and minerals like

gold, copper and zinc

MTI with MoF Ongoing

Review of export incentives MTI with NPC and

Ministry of Finance

2013

Creating required skills for

local value addition

NPC with NTA, tertiary

education institutions

and private sector

2013-2017

Identifying further goods for

local manufacturing

MTI with NCCI, Team

Namibia and Namibia

Manufacturers’

Association

2013-2017

Awarding infant industry

protection

MTI Ongoing

Public Works:

housing and

sanitation

Large-scale low cost housing

programme, using local

building materials, recycled

materials and green

technologies

MRLGHRD with NHE,

Shack Dwellers

Federation and private

sector

2013-2017

Implement the sanitation

strategy

MAWF with

MRLGHRD, MHSS

2013-2017

Informal Economy Study to assess the size, needs

and potential of the informal

economy

MTI with NSA, NISO,

MoLSW

2013

40

Establishment of informal

economy bargaining forums

at regional and local levels to

improve operating

environment

MTI with regional

councils and local

authorities

(municipalities), NISO,

IPBC, JCC etc.

2013-2017

Protection against unfair

competition

MTI, Competition

Commission

2013-2017

Direct support in the form of

marketing areas, financial

support, advice etc.

MTI, SME Bank,

Development Bank

2013-2017

Make registration easy and

attractive as part of the

“formalisation”

MTI, BIPA 2013-2017

Improve adherence to social

protection, OSH and decent

working conditions

MLSW with NISO,

municipalities

2013-2017

Assistance with relevant

skills development

MTI, NTA, NQA with

NISO

2013-2017

Establishment of link

between producers and

retailers

MTI, Team Namibia,

NISO, Chamber of

Mines

2013-2017

Green Jobs Developing waterless

sanitation systems and closed

wet sanitation systems

MET with MAWF,

MRLGHRD, private

sector

2013-2017

Using alternative building

materials and housing

technologies

MRLGHRD with

MWT, NHE, Shack

Dwellers Federation

and private sector

2013-2017

Recycling MET, local

governments with

recycling forum and

private sector

Ongoing,

2013-2017

De-bushing and power

generation

MET with MAWF,

MME, NAU and IPP

2013-2017

Promoting water efficient

technologies

MET with MAWF and

private sector

2013-2017

Developing low carbon

transport

MET with MWT,

private sector

2013-2017

Promoting and manufacturing

solar heaters and solar power

plants

MET with MTI, MME,

Nampower and private

sector

2013-2017

Producing biogas from

landfill sites

MET with local

authorities and private

sector

2013-2017

Capacity building on MET with tertiary 2013-2017

41

greening jobs in Namibia education providers,

NTA and private sector

Tourism Promotion of cultural and

community-based tourism

MET with NACOBTA,

NTB

2013-2017

Creating tourism

infrastructure while

safeguarding pristine areas

MET with Ministry of

Works, NWR and

private sector

Ongoing,

2013-2017

Focus on the youth Accommodate youth in

public works programmes

Ministry of Works,

NPC, Ministry of youth

and sports

2013-2017

Provide training subsidies for

the youth

Ministry of Education

with MLSW,Ministry of

Youth, NYS, NEF,

NCCI, NTA and NQA

2013-2017

Enhance and expand

internship and apprenticeship

programmes and regulate

them

MLSW with MoE,

MYNSSC, NYS, NYC,

NEF,NCCI and NTA

2013-2017

Offer ongoing opportunities

for learning and skills

development

MoE, NTA , MYNSSC,

NYS, NYCMLSW, and

education providers

Ongoing,

2013-2017

Offer career guidance for the

youth

MoE, MLSW, NTA,

NEF, NCCI and

education providers

2013-2017

Assist youth in the search for

jobs through the labour

market information system

MoLSW with private

employment agencies,

NYS, NEF, NCCI and

other employers

2013-2017

Enhance and expand the

NYCS and CYB programme

NYC with MYNSSC,

MTI

2013-2017

Decent Work

Country

Programme

Implement the DWCP MLSW with NEF,

NUNW, TUCNA and

ILO

Ongoing,

2013-2014

Skills Development

Implement the National

Human Resources plan and

address the mismatch of

demand for and availability of

skills

NPC with MoE, NTA,

NQA, VTCs and

tertiary education

institutions and private

sector

2013-2017

Recognise prior learning and

create lifelong learning

opportunities

NPC with Ministry of

Education, NTA, NQA,

VTCs and tertiary

education institutions

and private sector

2013-2017

Implement ODSOM to

forecast human resource

needs

NPC with MoE, NTA,

education providers

and private sector

2013-2017

42

Improved social

protection

Introduce national pension

and medical benefit schemes;

increase national coverage of

SSC schemes, especially in

the informal economy

MLSW, SSC with ILO,

NUNW, TUCNA and

NISO

2013-2014

Debate and clarify social and

economic benefits of a BIG

Cabinet with BIG

Coalition

2013

Explore the modalities for

implementation of a national

BIG on a sustainable basis

Office of the Prime

Minister with Cabinet

and BIG Coalition

2013-2014

Enabling Business

Environment

Provide finance for SMEs MTI with SME Bank Ongoing,

2013-2017

Provide infant industry

protection to selected

ventures

MTI with private sector Ongoing,

2013-2017

Review government

procurement policy to ensure

local value addition and job

creation

Ministry of Finance,

Tender Board

2013

Review incentives for

industrialisation and exports

MTI and MoF Ongoing,

2013

Simplify requirements for

business registration and

taxation

MTI with Ministry of

Finance

2013

Establish a fast and effective

labour market information

system

MLSW with employers

and job seekers; training

providers

2013

onwards

Brokering a “social compact” MLSW with employers

and unions

2013-2014

Strengthen social

dialogue

Evaluate experiences with the

LAC and implement

strategies to make social

dialogue more meaningful

and effective

MLSW with social

partners (business and

labour)

Ongoing

(part of

DWCP),

2013-2017

Table 4: Role Players

NAME OF INSTITUTION ROLES

1. Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare Coordinating institution for the

National Employment Policy and the

Decent Work Country Programme

2. Ministry of Youth National Service, Sport Identifying and implementing

43

and Culture; National Youth Service;

National Youth Council

measures to assist the youth with

finding employment and setting up

businesses

3. Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry Creating job opportunities in the

agricultural sector through targeted

projects.

Spearheading value-adding activities

in the agricultural sector

Creating jobs through the

implementation of the sanitation

policy and strategy

4. Ministry of Finance Macro-economic and fiscal policy

framework

Budgetary allocation for the various

initiatives relating to employment

creation

5. Ministry of Education Providing primary and secondary

education

Facilitating life-long learning

Supporting vocational training and

tertiary education

6. National Planning Commission

Prioritisation of development projects

for employment creation

Ensuring co-ordinated interventions by

various stakeholders

7. Ministry of Trade and Industry Promotion of SME development

Facilitate investment in labour

intensive industries

Granting of infant industry protection

8. Ministry of Works and transport Create employment through labour

44

intensive construction methods

Coordination and supervision of public

works programmes

9. Ministry of Regional and Local Government

and Housing and Rural Development

Co-ordination and supervision of

housing projects

10. Ministry of Environment and Tourism Promotion of sustainable and cultural

tourism

Promoting green technologies and jobs

11. Ministry of Mines and Energy; Nampower Promoting and supporting use and

production of renewable energy

12. Labour Advisory Council Ensure the ownership of social

partners in the implementation of the

National Employment Policy

Ensure that decent jobs are created and

monitor the implementation of the

NEP.

13. International Labour Organisation Technical assistance and advice on all

matters relating to the Decent Work

Country Programme and related issues

14. Private sector Provide investments in the identified

sectors;

Participation in PPP arrangements

15. Specialized Organisations (NISO, NUNW,

TUCNA, NEF, NAU, NNFU, NANGOF Trust,

Agriboard, NCCI and others)

Focus on employment creation in

particular sectors of the economy

Provide expertise on specific areas of

the National Employment Policy

16. Development Partners Provide technical expertise, advice and

resources needed for the

implementation of particular

programmes

45

3.1 Monitoring and evaluation

The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare spearheads the implementation of National

Employment Policy. Once established, the monitoring and evaluation of the programme is

envisaged to fall under the auspices of the Employment Creation Commission in collaboration

with the National Planning Commission. The monitoring and evaluation of this policy will feed

into the monitoring and evaluation system established by NDP4. The evaluations should be

conducted on regular intervals, either quarterly or yearly depending on programmes or projects

being implemented. However effectiveness of the monitoring and evaluation will be enhanced by

the labour market information collected by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) and the

Ministry of Labour and Social Services. Regular annual reports have to be produced and a

review of the policy will be undertaken after five (5) years, which is in line with NDP 4 to allow

for necessary adjustments.

46

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