Uukwambi see red over sand mining
The Uukwambi Traditional Authority is unhappy about the suspension of environmental clearance certificates that had been granted to two villages within its jurisdiction.
Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta on Friday ordered the suspension of certificates granted to the UTA for sand mining at Ekamba village and Onanime outside Oshakati.
UTA spokesperson Reinhold Iita said Shifeta's decision was biased and not in the best interest of the Uukwambi communities.
Shifeta announced the decision after conducting a hearing in the Uukwambi community court at Embandu in February.
He came to the conclusion that there had been no consultation with the two communities before the issuing of the certificates to the traditional authority.
“We will comply with the judgement, but we feel that what Shifeta did was one sided. We made presentations on a number of community benefits from sand mining, but in his judgement he only pointed out a few of them.
“Shifeta did not see that those communities were the ones that wanted to mine sand, but they did not want it done by the traditional authority,” Iita said.
“We have been calling Shifeta to consult us about those burrow pits, but he never came to us. But after the communities made the appeal he was quick to respond.
“We can see he is siding with the community and not the traditional authority.”
Iita said the traditional authority had already given permission to businesses to excavate sand at the two villages. These companies were now angry, he said.
After the UTA had obtained environmental clearance certificates for mining sand at existing pits at the two villages, the communities appealed to Shifeta, saying the authority had not consulted them.
When delivering his ruling on Friday, Shifeta said the communities had proven that there had been no public consultation.
Shifeta said the UTA must comply with the law.
He instructed the environmental commissioner to facilitate consultation between the parties.
ILENI NANDJATO
Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta on Friday ordered the suspension of certificates granted to the UTA for sand mining at Ekamba village and Onanime outside Oshakati.
UTA spokesperson Reinhold Iita said Shifeta's decision was biased and not in the best interest of the Uukwambi communities.
Shifeta announced the decision after conducting a hearing in the Uukwambi community court at Embandu in February.
He came to the conclusion that there had been no consultation with the two communities before the issuing of the certificates to the traditional authority.
“We will comply with the judgement, but we feel that what Shifeta did was one sided. We made presentations on a number of community benefits from sand mining, but in his judgement he only pointed out a few of them.
“Shifeta did not see that those communities were the ones that wanted to mine sand, but they did not want it done by the traditional authority,” Iita said.
“We have been calling Shifeta to consult us about those burrow pits, but he never came to us. But after the communities made the appeal he was quick to respond.
“We can see he is siding with the community and not the traditional authority.”
Iita said the traditional authority had already given permission to businesses to excavate sand at the two villages. These companies were now angry, he said.
After the UTA had obtained environmental clearance certificates for mining sand at existing pits at the two villages, the communities appealed to Shifeta, saying the authority had not consulted them.
When delivering his ruling on Friday, Shifeta said the communities had proven that there had been no public consultation.
Shifeta said the UTA must comply with the law.
He instructed the environmental commissioner to facilitate consultation between the parties.
ILENI NANDJATO
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