Key Takeaways:
- The Nama community in South Africa’s north-western coastline is fighting to reclaim their ancestral land and benefit from the diamond mining industry that has left the area scarred and impoverished.
- Despite a 2003 Constitutional Court ruling in their favor, the community argues that they have yet to see any significant benefits from the mining operations.
- The community leader, Martinus Fredericks, alleges that the Richtersveld Communal Property Association (CPA), which was supposed to represent the Nama, did not have the community’s consent to sign a deal with the state-owned mining company, Alexkor.
- The environmental damage caused by the mining industry is a major concern, with many mines left abandoned and unrehabilitated, leaving the community to deal with the after-effects.
- The Nama people are seeking to reclaim their land and have control over their own destiny, with Mr. Fredericks stating that "a Nama person cannot be separated from Nama land because of the intrinsic link between the person and the land."
Introduction to the Nama Community’s Struggle
The 800km journey north from Cape Town along South Africa’s remote west coast is a stark contrast of natural beauty and environmental degradation. The area, known as Namaqualand, is home to the impoverished Nama community, who are descended from the indigenous nomadic peoples, the Khoi and the San. Despite winning a legal battle over land and mining rights more than two decades ago, the community argues that they are yet to see any significant benefits from the diamond mining industry that has left the area scarred and impoverished.
The Decline of the Diamond Industry
The diamond industry in this part of the region has declined in recent years, as most of the gems on the land are thought to have been found, leaving a trail of economic and social problems. Andries Joseph, who worked in the diamond industry in Richtersveld before being laid off, describes the current state of the area as "stagnated" with "sky-high" unemployment and "collapsed" buildings. The local authority’s development plan highlights the "dilapidated" water and electricity infrastructure, as well as poor roads, which affect access to healthcare and other essential services.
The Nama People’s History and Connection to the Land
The Nama people have a deep connection to the land, which dates back centuries. Martinus Fredericks, the community leader, explains that the Nama were once herders and traders until European settlers arrived and interrupted their way of life. The area was annexed by the Cape Colony in the mid-19th century, and after diamonds were discovered in the 1920s, the Nama were cleared from the land. The community’s history and connection to the land are deeply intertwined, with Mr. Fredericks stating that "in our family, they used to teach the children to count with diamonds."
The Constitutional Court Ruling and Its Aftermath
In 2003, the Constitutional Court ruled in favor of the Nama community, stating that they had an inalienable right to their ancestral land and the rights to the minerals there. However, the community argues that the Richtersveld Communal Property Association (CPA), which was supposed to represent them, did not have their consent to sign a deal with the state-owned mining company, Alexkor. The deal gave Alexkor 51% of the mineral rights, while the community received 49%. Mr. Fredericks alleges that the community is yet to see any significant benefits from the deal, despite the Constitutional Court ruling.
Environmental Damage and Rehabilitation
The environmental damage caused by the mining industry is a major concern, with many mines left abandoned and unrehabilitated. Mr. Fredericks alleges that big companies "come in, rip up the land, take whatever they can, and just move off without doing the rehabilitation, leaving the receiving community to deal with the after-effects of their mining." The Nama people have traditionally mined sustainably, knowing how to use resources from the land and how to fix it after use. However, the commercial mining industry has left behind a scarred landscape, with little sign of rehabilitation.
The Way Forward
Mr. Fredericks is clear about what needs to happen next: "The government should return what is ours." He has begun legal action against the CPA, stating that it was not properly constituted and did not have the community’s consent to sign the deal with Alexkor. The Nama people are seeking to reclaim their land and have control over their own destiny, with Mr. Fredericks emphasizing the intrinsic link between the person and the land. The community’s fight for their ancestral land and the benefits of the diamond mining industry is a long and complex one, but they remain determined to reclaim their heritage and build a better future for themselves and their children.