Staff Reporter
ULTIMATE Safaris, a Namibian tourism company, has been granted an interdict by the High Court to halt mining operations near their Onduli and Doros lodges, which they claim pose a significant threat.
Ultimate Safaris launched the application for an urgent interdict on behalf of the Doro! Nawas, Uibasen Twyfelfontein, and Sorris Sorris conservancies, as well as themselves. The interdict was granted on Saturday evening, ordering the mining company to cease all operations.
The owner of the mining claims is Timoteus Mashuna, who allegedly plans to involve Russian/South African parties in building the mine.
On Friday, 23 August 2024, it was alleged that Ultimate Safaris learned of the construction of a road, equivalent in size and scale to a district road, which is said to be in clear contravention of their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP). These documents state that only existing tracks would be used and that consultation with tourism operators in the area was required.
David Bishop, Media Liaison for Ultimate Safaris, said that the area in question is a declared core black rhino breeding area. All three conservancies have stipulated that no mining activities are allowed in their Game Management and Utilization Plans (GMUPs), which were also included in the submission.
“These GMUPs have to be submitted to MEFT as they are a compliance requirement, and without them, conservancies receive no quotas. The fact that MEFT has these, and the Directorate of Environmental Affairs still issued an Environmental Clearance Certificate, is shocking,” Bishop said.
He added that, with the review application against the granting of the Environmental Clearance Certificate, Ultimate Safaris will challenge the shortcomings of the Environmental Impact Assessment. Bishop said that the EIA failed to consult the three conservancies, which have jurisdiction over the area by means of a Joint Management Contract.
Bishop also mentioned that although the EIA acknowledged the presence of rhinos and tourism in the area, it failed to address these issues adequately.
“Ultimate Safaris was not consulted, the MEFT rhino team wasn’t consulted, SRT wasn’t consulted. It’s just a really poor desktop EIA… The mining license applicants seem to have obtained support letters from the Traditional Authorities,” Bishop said.
He added that Ultimate Safaris has invested almost N$70 million in infrastructure, community, and conservation, and all three conservancies are active JV partners in its current three establishments in the area: Onduli Ridge, Onduli Enclave, and Camp Doros.
