Fishing industry takes phosphate mining fight to environment minister

Renthia Kaimbi

The Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations has formally appealed the decision by the environmental commissioner to grant an environmental clearance certificate to Namibia Marine Phosphate, in the latest developments of a legal battle that has dragged on for over a decade.

The appeal, filed on Wednesday, challenges the 6 August decision and asks the minister of environment and tourism to set it aside.

The fishing association argues the environmental commissioner, Timotheus Mufeti had no legal authority to issue the certificate in the first place because the company’s mining licence expired years ago under the Environmental Management Act.

This is the latest development in a long-running dispute that dates back to before the Environmental Management Act came into force in February 2012.

Namibia Marine Phosphate received its mining licence in July 2011, and the Act required companies with existing authorisations to apply for an environmental clearance certificate within one year or seek an extension from the minister. According to the fishing association, the company did neither.