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Seibeb enters lithium fray

Seibeb enters lithium fray

SWAKOPMUND – Former Landless People’s Movement lawmaker Henny Seibeb has taken a dig at the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources for allegedly failing to table its findings on illegal lithium mining in the Daures constituency.

This is despite the fact that hearings on the matter were conducted in May 2023, he now laments.

Seibeb, who quit LPM to rejoin Swapo, said  the current turmoil, in which the community of Uis and their traditional leaders are at loggerheads over alleged illegal mining, could have been averted had the report been tabled and interventions made by the government already. 

Speaking from the other side of the fence, he said time is running out for the report and its recommendations as the 7th National Assembly approaches the end of its term.

“I am compelled to express my deep concern regarding the stagnation of the
critical report. It is particularly troubling that, despite tabling a motion on 6 April 2023, it has not yet been tabled for recommendations,” Seibeb said on Monday.

The committee’s chairperson, Tjekero Tweya, confirmed to New Era this week that the report was finalised last year but has not yet been tabled in the National Assembly.

“Yes, we completed the report last year, but I have to confirm when it will be tabled,” Tweya saidon Monday.

Questions sent to LPM leader Bernardus Swartbooi regarding the report have not been answered.

Visits

Tweya, Swartbooi, along with Kletus Karondo, Maria Elago and Maria Kamutali, visited the Daures constituency and lithium mining sites in May 2023 to conduct public hearings following Seibeb’s motion on 6 April.

Seibeb’s motion called for a moratorium on lithium mining to determine the true value of the rare earth metal, and the legality of operations in the constituency.

At the time, he raised concerns over the lack of transparency and trust in the mining and environmental commissioners, who he believes have failed to provide accurate and unbiased information to the local communities.

Seibeb said corrupt politicians and investors were undermining Namibia’s development, stressing that large-scale mines often rely on State-backed coercion to push smallholder producers aside, leaving Africans to work for low wages.

On the ground, Uis residents have been protesting and petitioning against the alleged activities since 2022.

Certain quarters of the community are calling for the removal of the Dauredaman Traditional Authority chief, Sagarias Seibeb.

Unacceptable

Seibeb has since expressed frustration over the delay in tabling the report, calling it unacceptable.

“The committee must urgently accelerate its investigations and table its report, ensuring that its findings reach the relevant stakeholders without further delay. The communities in the Daures constituency have a fundamental right to transparency and truth, particularly regarding the conditions under which they live and labour.”

He also called for a framework that balances mining, small-scale farming, and tourism, recognising that these sectors are key to the long-term development of the constituency.

“The absence of urgency reflects a broader disregard for the people’s right to liberation from poverty and oppression, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation and inequality,” he said.

Unrest

Meanwhile, Uis community activist Jimmy Areseb, who was recently arrested and released on bail after the community rejected their chief, Sagarias Seibeb, and camped at the traditional authority’s office, said the community has never been against mining.

However, the community wants mining operations to be conducted within the ambits of the law, and necessary approvals from the government and the community.

“For the past six years, we have been fighting to get things in order. Imagine, we have two mines currently operating, making millions, yet those millions do not reflect in Uis. How is it that the community remains poor, yet millions worth of ore are shipped out from Uis?” he asked.

Areseb said it is time the government took note of the activities around Uis before the town is turned into a mining dumpsite.

“There are so many unrehabilitated mines in our area. Our farmers lose animals, yet nothing has been done. Our ancestral grave sites have been destroyed. We must do better, and the government needs to take note of the atrocities committed in our area before we lose everything,” he said.

These resources do not only belong to Uis, but should also be used to enhance the lives of all Namibians in the country. “These proceeds should build more schools, upgrade hospitals and clinics, and provide better healthcare for all Namibians. We cannot and should not allow our raw materials to be shipped out to create jobs in other countries. We need to do better as a country. Greed and self-enrichment should not be the reason we allow our resources to be abused by foreigners under the pretence of investment,” he said.

National Assembly spokesperson Sakeus Kadhikwa also confirmed that the report had been finalised and signed by all committee members. “From here, it goes to the Parliamentary Standing Committee, and will hopefully be tabled next month,” he said.

Evidence

Late last year, the mines ministry opened a criminal case against mining company Xinfeng over illegal mining activities in the Uis area. 

During a visit to the illegal mining site last year, the New Era team observed three fully-loaded trucks leaving the site, and entering Xinfeng’s premises. Video footage taken by New Era and community members confirmed ongoing mining activities, despite the company’s claim that it had ceased the illegal operations.

Several ancestral graves were spotted near the illegal mining site, along with abandoned equipment belonging to small-scale miners. Workers admitted that illegal mining had been going on since November last year, contradicting Xinfeng’s statement that they had only been mining for five months before shutting down.

Not true 

At the time, Xinfeng representative Frank Li told New Era that the company had not received a written directive from the ministry to stop operations.   “The mining commissioner only gave a verbal instruction during an inspection on 16 November. We completely stopped operations on 10 December after a meeting with the ministry,” he said.

Li claimed the company needed time to wind down operations, citing that over 180 employees and equipment were on-site. 

Li added that the EPL for the site belongs to Xinfeng. They applied for a mining licence in 2022, which has not yet been approved by the ministry. This has caused frustration as the company, despite the current low lithium prices, wants to continue operating. 

“We only have an exploration licence, and not a mining licence,” he noted.

He said the ore has finished in their current legal open pit, and they want to continue extracting ore from the Ringmen open pit, if granted the required paperwork by the ministry. Furthermore, Xinfeng’s managing director Xie Yiming urged the government to speedily approve their mining licence and export permits for them to resume operations. 

“Interruptions are expensive because they drive up costs, especially in a fluctuating market where prices appear to be in a freefall,” he observed. The company stated that if the permits are granted, approximately 80 drivers could be employed to facilitate the export of processed lithium concentrate before the end of the year. 

-edeklerk@nepc.com.na