Lack of an all-encompassing policy
OPINION
Conflicts between Namibia’s mining and environmental sectors continue to play out in the courts, invariably with knock-on effects for the tourism industry. The mining sector frequently claims that it can coexist with the environmental sector.
Meanwhile, the tourism sector, at least at Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) conferences, has consistently signalled willingness to consider the possibility seriously and to engage in dialogue with its apparent opponents.
However, the arrival of heavy mining and road construction machinery in conservancies in northwest Namibia – reportedly without proper consultation with long-established neighbouring tourism operations – appears to have sidelined prospects for such collaboration.
A week ago, the Supreme Court had rejected an application by Ultimate Safaris and its associated conservancies – the Doro !Nawas and Uibasen-Twyfelfontein conservancies and the #Aodaman communal authority – who had sought to dismiss an appeal against an interdict granted to them that was brought before the High Court by mining entrepreneur Timoteus Mashuna.
Three days later, the High Court announced its ruling, rejecting Mashuna’s appeal against an interim interdict restraining Mashuna from conducting mining and related activities pending the outcome of a main review application.
Mashuna wants to mine tin in north-west Namibia, an area with highly active tourism operations.
State has no principle policy
The main problem seems to be that in the nearly 36 years since independence, the Namibian government has never developed a comprehensive policy framework for these two sectors. Because both sides are wary of making explicit statements and standing by them, the media are often manipulated and thus become pawns in the debate.
It is clear from discussions with affected parties that any government framework would have to be based on prior dialogue with both parties, as such a framework will inevitably be unpopular. Some environmentalists would prefer the entire country to become one huge conservancy, just as some miners would dig up the entire country if allowed.
Tourism and mining numbers
The last known statistics from the tourism sector in 2022 (shortly after the Covid pandemic, with significant growth since) indicated 58 000 employees impacted by tourism – about 8% of Namibia’s formal workforce – contributing approximately N$14.3 billion to GDP, roughly 7%.
According to the Chamber of Mines in 2024, the mining sector employed around 20 800 people and contributed about 13% to GDP. Mining generates stronger foreign exchange earnings, while tourism and the environmental sector seem to provide more sustainable employment.
Investors seek certainty
Meanwhile, Ultimate Safaris’ owner, Tristan Cowley, has to surely ask himself whether the millions he has invested over the years in Damaraland are a good and secure investment, given that a mining operation can threaten his investments at the turn of a dime.
On the other hand, Mashuna may well wonder why the state –through the Ministry of Mines & Energy – granted him a mining permit and waited until he had purchased or hired expensive machinery before a tourism company could intervene at a moment’s notice and stop his operations.
In both cases, Namibia suffers because neither investor gains clarity. The country sends the wrong signals in the economic sector – investors need clear rules and security since they invest money that does not always belong solely to them.
Ongoing conflicts
Namibia’s highest mountain, the Brandberg, is currently a strong candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status due to its unique geology, biodiversity, and extensive prehistoric rock art, including the famous White Lady.
Namibia aims to have the Dâures-Brandberg Conservancy recognised not just as a national monument but also as a World Heritage Site by the end of 2027.
The UNESCO World Heritage site of Twyfelfontein, home to more than 2 500 rock engravings and paintings dating back up to 4 000 years, lies about 50 kilometres north-north-west of the Brandberg.
The surrounding area includes a number of well-known lodges and conservancies and gained international recognition through the work of organisations such as Save the Rhino Trust Namibia (SRT) and the Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA), which is based in the region.
The area is world-renowned for its desert-adapted elephants and lions.
It was here that the Ministry of Mines and Energy granted Mashuna a mining permit after the Ministry of Environment raised no objection. The conflict between Mashuna and Ultimate Safaris was thus almost inevitable.
Trends at Uis and Stampriet
Apart from the area north of Brandberg, just south and south-east of Brandberg are the Chinese lithium mines and Andrada Mining's tin mine.
This is not a post-independence phenomenon, as the Brandberg West mine was operational before independence – the Uis tin mine belonged to the South African company Iscor for years.
What has changed is the broader economic context: at the time, the area and its communities had invested far less in tourism, when government realised that tourism could employ people faster and more permanently – never mind UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The same conflict has been simmering for several years now in the Leonardville and Stampriet area, where the Russian company Headspring Investments – ultimately part of the nuclear energy giant Rosatom – has been exploring for uranium in the precious drinking water of the Stampriet aquifer using highly toxic solutions. While the long-established village and farm communities are tearing their hair out and asking how this could have happened in the first place, the Kazakh, and for that matter Russian, exploration company is certainly entitled to ask itself why it was issued the exploration licence in the first place.
Oil and gas in Kavango
The same question arises in the Kavango regions, where the Canadian gas and oil exploration company Reconnaissance Energy Africa (ReconAfrica) seeks hydrocarbons, partly within or near longstanding local conservancies. Here too, permits were issued by the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) without proper consideration.
Tourism stakeholders had already invested millions in Kavango West and East as well as the Zambezi region, followed by ReconAfrica, who did the same, whether that is regarded as wrong or right.
Each spent millions under the oversight of the same government, but apparently under what could be regarded as unfair circumstances.
Meanwhile, the tourism sector, at least at Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) conferences, has consistently signalled willingness to consider the possibility seriously and to engage in dialogue with its apparent opponents.
However, the arrival of heavy mining and road construction machinery in conservancies in northwest Namibia – reportedly without proper consultation with long-established neighbouring tourism operations – appears to have sidelined prospects for such collaboration.
A week ago, the Supreme Court had rejected an application by Ultimate Safaris and its associated conservancies – the Doro !Nawas and Uibasen-Twyfelfontein conservancies and the #Aodaman communal authority – who had sought to dismiss an appeal against an interdict granted to them that was brought before the High Court by mining entrepreneur Timoteus Mashuna.
Three days later, the High Court announced its ruling, rejecting Mashuna’s appeal against an interim interdict restraining Mashuna from conducting mining and related activities pending the outcome of a main review application.
Mashuna wants to mine tin in north-west Namibia, an area with highly active tourism operations.
State has no principle policy
The main problem seems to be that in the nearly 36 years since independence, the Namibian government has never developed a comprehensive policy framework for these two sectors. Because both sides are wary of making explicit statements and standing by them, the media are often manipulated and thus become pawns in the debate.
It is clear from discussions with affected parties that any government framework would have to be based on prior dialogue with both parties, as such a framework will inevitably be unpopular. Some environmentalists would prefer the entire country to become one huge conservancy, just as some miners would dig up the entire country if allowed.
Tourism and mining numbers
The last known statistics from the tourism sector in 2022 (shortly after the Covid pandemic, with significant growth since) indicated 58 000 employees impacted by tourism – about 8% of Namibia’s formal workforce – contributing approximately N$14.3 billion to GDP, roughly 7%.
According to the Chamber of Mines in 2024, the mining sector employed around 20 800 people and contributed about 13% to GDP. Mining generates stronger foreign exchange earnings, while tourism and the environmental sector seem to provide more sustainable employment.
Investors seek certainty
Meanwhile, Ultimate Safaris’ owner, Tristan Cowley, has to surely ask himself whether the millions he has invested over the years in Damaraland are a good and secure investment, given that a mining operation can threaten his investments at the turn of a dime.
On the other hand, Mashuna may well wonder why the state –through the Ministry of Mines & Energy – granted him a mining permit and waited until he had purchased or hired expensive machinery before a tourism company could intervene at a moment’s notice and stop his operations.
In both cases, Namibia suffers because neither investor gains clarity. The country sends the wrong signals in the economic sector – investors need clear rules and security since they invest money that does not always belong solely to them.
Ongoing conflicts
Namibia’s highest mountain, the Brandberg, is currently a strong candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status due to its unique geology, biodiversity, and extensive prehistoric rock art, including the famous White Lady.
Namibia aims to have the Dâures-Brandberg Conservancy recognised not just as a national monument but also as a World Heritage Site by the end of 2027.
The UNESCO World Heritage site of Twyfelfontein, home to more than 2 500 rock engravings and paintings dating back up to 4 000 years, lies about 50 kilometres north-north-west of the Brandberg.
The surrounding area includes a number of well-known lodges and conservancies and gained international recognition through the work of organisations such as Save the Rhino Trust Namibia (SRT) and the Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA), which is based in the region.
The area is world-renowned for its desert-adapted elephants and lions.
It was here that the Ministry of Mines and Energy granted Mashuna a mining permit after the Ministry of Environment raised no objection. The conflict between Mashuna and Ultimate Safaris was thus almost inevitable.
Trends at Uis and Stampriet
Apart from the area north of Brandberg, just south and south-east of Brandberg are the Chinese lithium mines and Andrada Mining's tin mine.
This is not a post-independence phenomenon, as the Brandberg West mine was operational before independence – the Uis tin mine belonged to the South African company Iscor for years.
What has changed is the broader economic context: at the time, the area and its communities had invested far less in tourism, when government realised that tourism could employ people faster and more permanently – never mind UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The same conflict has been simmering for several years now in the Leonardville and Stampriet area, where the Russian company Headspring Investments – ultimately part of the nuclear energy giant Rosatom – has been exploring for uranium in the precious drinking water of the Stampriet aquifer using highly toxic solutions. While the long-established village and farm communities are tearing their hair out and asking how this could have happened in the first place, the Kazakh, and for that matter Russian, exploration company is certainly entitled to ask itself why it was issued the exploration licence in the first place.
Oil and gas in Kavango
The same question arises in the Kavango regions, where the Canadian gas and oil exploration company Reconnaissance Energy Africa (ReconAfrica) seeks hydrocarbons, partly within or near longstanding local conservancies. Here too, permits were issued by the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) without proper consideration.
Tourism stakeholders had already invested millions in Kavango West and East as well as the Zambezi region, followed by ReconAfrica, who did the same, whether that is regarded as wrong or right.
Each spent millions under the oversight of the same government, but apparently under what could be regarded as unfair circumstances.
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