Err in Favour of Conservation

Mining is big and can make people extremely rich extremely quickly.

So big and so heady, it’s hard to resist its allure. In many ways, it can come across as a panacea for our national problems.

It is thus understandable that politicians and their bureaucratic policy implementers are quick to give mining the greenlight at the expense of nature conservation and tourism.

In 2023, the mining sector contributed more than 14% to the Namibian economy in terms of gross domestic product, and tourism contributed about 7%.

Mining employs about 20 000 people, compared to tourism which provides jobs for 60 000 Namibians in direct employment.

In addition, tourism’s potential for indirect job creation is more than three times compared to one and a half for mining because of its capital-intensive nature.

Yet mining remains most attractive because it is known to satisfy the urge for making a quick buck and a lot of money at that.

When the disputed Dâure Daman chief, Zacharias Seibeb, boisterously tells his own conservancy communities and the Ultimate Safaris company that he will force the relocation of rhino if they don’t agree with mining in their areas, it’s easy to see the influence of the promise of mining.

What the chief and the get-rich-quick chasers don’t want to acknowledge is that greedy mining activities in the same or neighbouring areas have been proven to rise and fall, leaving a trail of economic deprivation and joblessness when tourism is chased out.

At nearby towns such as Uis, residents have complained of health hazards, empty mine pits and air pollution.

Mining resources have a high volatility, and the Namibian government often disingenuously uses the excuse that external ‘market shocks’ lead to their economic decline.

Conservancies provide an economic and employment lifeline for generations, whereas mining is comparatively short term.

It is thus concerning that the Ministry of Environment and Tourism is quick to issue clearance certificates for blasting and road widening to enable widespread extraction of minerals at the expense of tourism that has a low key impact on the land and livelihoods.

The claim that blastic (bombing up the earth) in search of minerals is done taking care that no animal is nearby does not hold water.

Rhinos, for instance, in conservancies where mining takes place, may not have great sight, but do have great hearing and a sophisticated sense of smell.

Expecting blasting-driven mining, heavy truck movements, and the inevitable roaming of people employed there to interact or co-exist with wildlife as well as with unique plants like the rare Welwitschia is taking a Darwinistic approach of the survival of the fittest – mining will trample tourism any day.

Rather tighten monitoring measures on tourism companies ploughing back more into communities where they operate, instead of unleashing miners who come in, swoop up the mineral riches and go on to live lavishly – far from where they made the big bucks.

The Namibian government needs to show it cares about nature conservation rather than making it easy for some of the most questionable mining activities to take part in areas designated for community-based wildlife conservation.

We plead with the environment ministry to take an approach that errs on the side of wildlife conservation when confronted with demands for mining, which has long focused on making a few rich while leaving communities to deal with the toxic trail it leaves.

Nature conservation and tourism will continue to benefit tens of thousands of Namibians long after the dust of grab-and-go mining activities settles.

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