This is the first organised body representing 'crystal diggers' in Namibia, and it is Government's aim to form similar associations in all the regions.

ERSMA Chairman Chris Timbo said the establishment of the association was the small-scale miners' attempt to organise themselves in order to enjoy high-level support.

"Often small miners visited the Ministry of Mines and Energy for assistance.

Time and again we were told to organise ourselves before any assistance could come our way," Timbo said.

Small-scale miners face a number of challenges.

These include training, marketing, health and safety, geological knowledge and the handling of equipment.

In 2004 a group of small-scale miners united with constituency leaders to address the issue.

A small-scale miners' stakeholder forum was established to spearhead and address the plight of all the small miners in the region, with the result of a small miners' association, now officially acknowledged by Government through the Ministry of Mines and Energy.

The objectives of the association are to represent, protect and advance the interest of small miners, to contribute towards the best use of minerals and to develop small-scale mining in the region as a means to improve the living standards of rural communities.

To honour the small miners' efforts to organise themselves under ERSMA, the Minister of Mines and Energy, Erkki Nghimtina, handed over a cheque of N$500 000 to the association to further their cause.

He said the money, which came from the Minerals Development Fund, would be part of Government's assistance to the small-scale miners to address their most pressing challenges.

Shell Namibia's Chairman, Willie Mokgatlhe, said his company was impressed with the miners' "spirit of never give up" in very harsh conditions, and therefore decided to donate N$50 000.

The European Commission (EC) in Namibia also advanced N$8,3 million for a two-year small miners' project in line with the Rural Poverty Reduction Programme, and with the main objective to improve the miners' living conditions.

ERSMA will have its head office in Karibib.

Local News Headlines Of The Last 48 Hours

•  'DRC refugee' arrested at airport
•  Keetmanshoop grapples with debt, at odds with Receiver
•  Namibia plagued by gender-based violence
•  'Struggle Kids' are happy campers
•  Teachers 'plot to kill' principal
•  Zero tolerance for road hogs
•  Nujoma Foundation raises N$300 000 at gala dinner
•  Young man sent to jail for killing older brother
•  Three die in lorry crash
•  Henties Bay 'in a mess'
•  High Court upholds labour-hire ban
•  Oshakati nervously eyes the sky
•  Shamil Dirk's graft case postponed again
•  ACC nabs Otavi Village Council CEO
•  Justice driver accused of looting
•  Job equity has improved
•  Ombudsman complains about Justice Ministry
•  New plan for Cuvelai Basin
•  APP postpones congress
•  Zim to ignore tribunal ruling
•  Immigration locks up SA journalist
•  Youth gets four years for rape
•  Swapo closes ranks