Questions have been raised about a mining operation in the Kunene region that has reportedly conducted questionable testing activities for about two years, suggesting production may be taking place under the guise of testing.
This prompted the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources to question what is happening at the site.
The concerns emerged during the committee's visit to Okarikua Mining at Ohungurume Village in the Opuwo Urban Constituency, after engagements with community members, traditional authorities, small-scale miners and other stakeholders in Opuwo. The committee, chaired by Tobie Aupindi, visited the operation to assess the concerns raised and better understand the conditions under which mining activities are taking place. Committee member Ester Haikola-Sakaria said the visit exposed serious concerns about worker safety and welfare, as well as the level of oversight by the Ministry of Mines and Energy. One key issue was the reported two-year testing period.
Haikola-Sakaria said the committee was informed that the mining operation had been operating for about two years, with activities reportedly still being described as testing.
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However, the committee observed piles of copper-bearing rocks at the site.
An explanation was proffered: the rocks were being taken for testing.
She said the committee also received information suggesting that production may be taking place.
This raised questions about whether the operation was solely involved in testing or whether actual mining and production activities were already under way. The uncertainty, she said, requires the responsible authorities to establish exactly what is happening at the site.
"Down there, that is where mining is taking place. You see piles of copper stones that are apparently going for testing. But others are telling us that there is also production taking place," she said.
She called on the ministry to strengthen its monitoring and enforcement role.
Haikola-Sakaria further said that Kunene is home to significant mineral resources, but the region also faces challenges relating to illegal and poorly regulated mining activities. She warned that if the government does not strengthen its oversight, Namibia could lose out on the benefits of its own natural resources.
"The ministry of mines needs to pull up their socks otherwise Namibia will not have resources at all," she said.
Safety concerns
The committee also raised concerns about the working conditions of employees at the mining operation.
Haikola-Sakaria said workers did not appear to have adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), despite being involved in mining activities.
The absence of proper protective equipment raises questions about whether workers are being adequately protected from the risks associated with mining.
She said worker safety should not be compromised, regardless of whether an operation is in a testing or production phase.
Another concern was the absence of proper ablution facilities.
Take charge
Committee member and Official Opposition leader Immanuel Nashinge also expressed concern about the situation observed at the mining site.
Nashinge said the reality facing small-scale miners and Namibian workers in the Kunene region is "worrisome".
He said the government needs to do more to ensure that Namibians benefit from the country's natural resources instead of remaining on the margins of the mining industry. He further criticised the lack of testing laboratories in Namibia.
According to him, the absence of adequate local testing facilities makes it difficult for government and local miners to independently establish the quality and value of minerals being extracted.
"We need testing labs," he said.
Nashinge suggested that the government could bring private-sector players on board to establish testing laboratories and strengthen Namibia's capacity to assess its mineral resources. He also questioned the ministry of mines' approach to monitoring mining operations.
Nashinge said the ministry should not rely solely on information supplied by mining operators but should conduct its own inspections and independently establish what is happening at mining sites.
He argued that operators, whether small or large, should not effectively be left to determine the information on which government bases its decisions.
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"The ministry is also not in charge," Nashinge said.
He called for officials to go to mining sites, understand the operations on the ground and determine the actual value and extent of mineral extraction.
Resources
What is more, Haikola-Sakaria said the committee's concerns were not about stopping investment but ensuring that investment contributes to Namibia and its people.
"We want to make sure that the resources of the country benefit Namibians," she said.
She added that investors should also ensure skills transfer so that Namibians can develop the capacity to participate meaningfully in the mining sector.
Aupindi said the stakeholder meeting in Opuwo was intended to give community members, traditional authorities and miners an opportunity to make their voices heard. The committee will consider the concerns raised during the engagement and site visit as it continues examining the challenges facing the small-scale mining sector. -[email protected]
