WINDHOEK – The mining of sand from a riverbed in Groot Aub is not going down well with some residents who say their natural resources are being removed without any form of compensation.
Speaking to New Era, Betuel Hochobeb a community leader at Groot Aub said Windhoek Sandworx, a firm mining sand at the settlement, is yet to fulfil its social responsibility since it started its operations.
Windhoek Sandworx indicated in a pamphlet it would support the Groot Aub community by assisting educational institutions, schools and other projects with infrastructural development, maintenance and improvement of facilities as well as donations. But Hochobeb says the firm has yet to fulfill its stated promises.
“That company carries sand from Groot Aub to Windhoek everyday but the community has not benefitted from the project,” he said.
“If anybody in Groot Aub is benefiting from the project it is only individuals because there are complaints that all they do is take sand from the community,” lamented Hochobeb.
“Nothing of that sort has happened here yet but they have been taking sand 24/7 for years now,” said Hochobeb.
Dehan Landsberg, the son of the owner of the company told New Era that the company has been mining sand at Groot Aub for just a year.
“We are active for a year and we have given 40 people from Groot Aub work,” said Landsberg. He said in future the company would help the community and that the community should submit proposals on donations which would be looked into.
“It’s government ground,” said Landsberg, adding that the company can operate there as it has “followed the correct procedures to work there.”