CHAMWE KAIRA
The government is working with key stakeholders, including workers, to find a responsible solution to restart the Scorpion Zinc mine and refinery operation at Rosh Pinah, mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse has said.
Speaking at the Mineworkers’ Union of Namibia (MUN) southern regional roundtable in Oranjemund, Amutse said stakeholders could not ignore the difficult realities faced by families following the closure of Scorpion Zinc in 2024, which resulted in the loss of around 500 jobs.
His speech was delivered on his behalf by Justina Jonas, member of parliament.
Many households in Rosh Pinah continue to feel the impact of the closure, he said.
Amutse said the government, together with key stakeholders, including workers represented by MUN, was working towards a responsible solution to restart the mine and refinery.
“At this juncture, closure is not an option,” he said. “Our focus must remain on protecting jobs, restoring competitiveness and keeping our communities alive,” Amutse said.
He said unemployment in the //Kharas region remained at about 38%, meaning that challenges affecting mining operations have consequences that extend beyond individual companies to entire communities.
“When a mine sneezes, the whole town catches a cold,” he said.
Amutse nevertheless pointed to emerging opportunities in uranium, copper, gold and critical minerals, saying these developments provided reason for optimism despite the challenges facing the sector.
He also highlighted the continued importance of diamond mining to Oranjemund, noting that Namdeb’s operations employ more than 700 people and remain a major economic anchor for the town.
“Without diamond mining, Oranjemund might have already turned into another ghost town,” he said.
The remarks were delivered on Amutse’s behalf by member of parliament Justina Jonas at the second of four regional roundtables being held by MUN as the union marks its 40th anniversary.
Held under the theme “From the Shaft to the Chamber: Workers’ Voices, National Choices,” the southern regional roundtable followed the first roundtable held in Swakopmund.
The initiative, powered by the Namibia Miners Investment Trust (NAMIT) and NAM-MIC Holdings, brought together MUN leadership and members, policymakers and other stakeholders to discuss workers’ interests, the mining sector and the future of work in Namibia.
The discussions covered the union’s four decades of representing Namibian workers and its role in shaping debate around the mining sector, including local participation, mineral resource development and the future of the industry.
Amutse’s address also touched on mining operations supporting the Hardap and //Kharas regions, the continued effects of the Scorpion Zinc closure and the government’s new national minerals beneficiation policy.
Also speaking at the roundtable, justice and labour relations minister Wise Immanuel framed the discussions within the broader issue of resource nationalism.
“This is about resource nationalism – the principle that we must derive more value from our natural resources, rather than merely extracting them and shipping them out without any value addition,” Immanuel said.
The roundtable therefore placed workers’ concerns within wider national discussions on mineral beneficiation, local economic participation and ensuring that Namibia derives greater economic value from its mineral resources.
