WINDHOEK, Namibia (CU)_The Navachab Gold Mine, located in the town of Karibib, in the Erongo Region of western Namibia, is currently facing pressure from the local community which accuses the mine of neglecting its social responsibility towards the town. Over the past two weeks, a protest had been organised by the locals, with the assistance of the Great Erongo Community Development Association (GECDA), claiming that the mine’s social contribution over the years, including support to local farming communities, and projects undertaken on education and youth empowerment, have not been sufficient. “To date we have not seen any significant contribution by Navachab towards this town, compared with other mines,” GECDA director Raymond Tjiuongua said.
Last month, a petition was handed over to Navachab’s managing director, George Botshiwe, in which the locals accused the mine of stonewalling their concerns. Pointing to the astounding unemployment rate within the community, they accuse the mine’s managers of nepotism, and have demanded the removal of employees who are relatives of its staff.
According to Tjiuongua, the unemployment rate in Karibib stands at 56 per cent, which he says is “unacceptable” in a town where a successful gold mine operates. Accordingly, residents demand that 98 per cent of the mine’s workforce be from Karibib, while they also call on Navachab’s managers to replace subcontractors from other towns with local companies. They even demanded that locals be allowed to be involved in the mine’s recruitment and tender allocation process.
Responding to these demands and accusations, Botshiwe noted that Navachab aims to develop corporate social investment (CSI) strategies that will assist women, the youth and other disadvantaged groups. He pointed to an investment of over N$3.5 million in 2019/20 made towards supporting local farming communities, along with other projects focused on education and youth empowerment which have already been undertaken.
Along with its contribution to uplift small businesses in Karibib, Navachab even constructed a COVID-19 quarantine facility in the town last year. According to the mine’s managing director, since 2014, Navachab has spent over N$12 million on projects and initiatives, with N$5.8 million being spent annually on education alone.
He further noted that the recruitment policies adopted by the gold mine ensures a fair and transparent process, with 61 per cent of those employed over the past three years being residents of the Karibib constituency and the Erongo region. Botshiwe said he remains confident that the mine’s contribution towards the community will be well received, adding that Navachab will continue to engage with stakeholders to address the concerns that have been raised.
