CHAMWE KAIRA
Deep Yellow has said legal action against the company by Jurgen Hoffman and Tumas Granit is completely without merit and that the company will take all necessary action to protect its interests, as it has done on all previous occasions. The company is developing the Tumas uranium project in the Erongo Region.
Deep Yellow further clarified that Jurgen Hoffman and Tumas Granite are not Deep Yellow’s partners in Namibia.
Last week it emerged that Hoffman had commenced proceedings against the Minister and Ministry of Mines and Energy to have the mining license declared void.
Deep Yellow in a notice advised investors that Jurgen Hoffman and his associated company Tumas Granite CC have filed an application: Notice of Motion Review in the High Court of Namibia giving notice that the applicants intend to make application to the High Court of Namibia for orders in relation to Mining Licence ML237 (ML237) and the associated Environmental Clearance Certificate held by the company’s subsidiary.
In summary, the primary orders sought are reviewing or correcting or setting aside the Environmental Commissioner of Namibia’s decision to award an Environmental Clearance Certificate in connection with ML237 and the Minister of Mines and Energy’s decisions to award ML237.
Hoffman further wants the declaration of the decisions of the Environmental Commissioner of Namibia and the Minister of Mines and Energy’s decisions to be in breach of the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia, among other things, and thus null and void and of no legal force and effect.
This latest application, the fifth application for review that has been made by the applicants, is a continuation of the numerous attempts since 2011 to challenge various rights of the company in respect to ML237 and Exploration Prospecting Licences 3496 and 3497 (ML237 having been issued over an area that was previously part of EPLs 3496 and 3497).
Deep Yellow’s MD, John Borshoff, said whilst the applicant’s actions are brought primarily against the Minister of Mines and Energy and the Environmental Commissioner of Namibia, other government officials and the company’s Namibian subsidiaries have been joined as respondents.
“The company was issued with ML237 after having complied with all relevant laws and regulations,” the company said.
The company’s portfolio includes the flagship Tumas, Namibia and Mulga Rock, Western Australia, both located in Tier-1 uranium jurisdictions. Its other project in Namibia is the Omahola project.
