Africa-Press – Namibia. AN appeal hearing over the controversial sand mining operation at Ondando-Epale that was set to take place yesterday, 24 September, between residents, the Ondonga Traditional Authority and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, was cancelled at the eleventh hour.
Residents of Ondado-Epale, who were looking forward to the matter finally being put to rest after a previous postponement, have expressed disappointment that the letter of postponed was only given to them the night before the planned hearing at the burrow pit in the Oniipa constituency
Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, in August postponed the hearing after the Ondonga Traditional Authority failed to appear.
At the time, Shifeta warned that another postponement would not be entertained and that the hearing would proceed as planned even if one of the affected parties fails to appear.
Residents claim that the letter of cancellation was only received at 21:30 on Thursday from the Appeal Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.
The Appeal Secretary informed the affected parties that the hearing will be postponed until further notice, due to the minister’s unavailability. According to the ministry, Pohamba is currently attending to other equally pressing matters in the north.
Spokesperson of the affected residents, Oscar Shikongo, said that the postponement shows disrespect to the Ondando-Epale community and all interested parties.
“After many residents took leave of absence from their work of employment, travelled long distances and incurred legal costs to attend the appeal hearing, the minister through his appeal secretary called off the meeting at the eleventh hour and that isn’t acceptable,” he said.
He further accused the Ondonga Traditional Authority Of employing delaying tactics to frustrate them and the resident of surrounding villages. The affected residents are now requesting that the sand and gravel mining activities in Ondando-C be declared illegal and immediately stopped, and for the environmental laws to be implemented to the letter.
“We request that the perpetrators of these illegal sand and gravel mining activities in Ondando-C must rehabilitate our environment, cease their mining activities, and leave our community in peace. If they leave our community, we will not follow them,” added Shikongo.
The Environment Clearance Certificate that was issued for sand mining at the Ondado burrow remains suspended, and until the minister pronounces himself on the matter after the appeal hearing, any activities at the burrow are considered illegal.
