Staff Writer
Mines deputy minister Kornelia Shilunga said Swakop Uranium’s sustainability report shows commitment to transparency.
China General Nuclear Power Corporation, which owns Swakop Uranium and runs the Husab mine, recently released its sustainability report for 2021.
The report that highlights the company’s social responsibility also details performance and operating practices.
Husab Mine employs more than 1,700 permanent workers and has more than 1 000 on contract.
Swakop Uranium’s chief executive officer Qiu Bin said the company’s success is because shareholders, key stakeholders, and employees built positive and constructive relationships.
Qiu said a large part of the contribution towards the growth and prosperity of Namibia is aimed at its people.
“The transfer of skills and empowerment of Namibians within a safe and healthy work environment is one of our primary objectives. We have set up the policies and processes to achieve this.
“Regrettably, our safety performance in 2021 fell short of our targets. It did not achieve the exemplary implementation of the previous year. Still, our programmes aim to stem this decline and continue building on the significant improvements made since our operations started,” he said.
Swakop Uranium sustainability development committee chairperson Inge Zamwzni-Kamwi said the 2021 report highlights the company’s positive, sustainable development impacts in Namibia.
“Through this report, we can see the company is committed to fully supporting national development imperatives and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“Continuous business development is an integral part of Swakop Uranium’s business strategy, with goals to build a world-class company that Namibia can be proud of,” Zamwani-Kamwi said.
She further said although the end of the life of the mine is still some years into the future, it is unfortunate that mining operations at the Husab mine will, like all extractive industries, come to an end at some point.
“Our wish and vision are that once that happens, we will leave behind empowered and prosperous (and therefore sustainable) communities within an environment that has experienced minimal loss due to Swakop Uranium’s mining operations,” she said.