An Assessment Of The Impact Of Ethical Practices In The Public Procurement Process On Namibia’s Socio-Economic Objectives

ABSTRACT

Discussions around the public procurement system in the local media have been

largely negative. Many articles have revealed mismanagement in the system. The

emphasis of these articles has been on the need to uphold transparency and accountability

in the way public procurement is conducted in Namibia. The Namibian experience is that

the tendering process seems transparent on the surface, especially in connection with the

sending out of tender invitations. However, the process becomes less transparent during

the awarding process, which has in some instances necessitated recourse to the courts. As

a result of these course cases, it could be said that the Namibian community has reached a

point where the weaknesses in the current public procurement system can no longer be

ignored. This study sought to address some of the flaws in the public procurement

system, by interviewing people who have some knowledge of the system.

Findings of the study confirm that there are weaknesses in the current

system which needs to be addressed. The results further show that the control

mechanisms that have been put in place are seriously ineffective. After reviewing the

control mechanisms in place, suggestions are made to strenghten them. In terms of socioeconomic

development, the findings indicate that the public procurement system could

contribute to job creation and poverty reduction. The study also reveals that there is no

comprehensive code of ethical conduct for Board Members and staff in the public

procurement establishment.

The researcher suggests that further research be conducted on areas that were

not touched on in this study, such as the practice of exemptions, to evaluate the impact of

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exemptions on the image of the Tender Board, on the Secretariat, and on the tender

process – in the context and spirit of anti-corruption