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An evaluation of the EIA process in promoting sustainability in the mining sector of Namibia
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614049866350592 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Nelumbu, Naemi Mweshiyola |
| author2 | Muller, Joanne Anneke |
| author_browse | Muller, Joanne Anneke Nelumbu, Naemi Mweshiyola |
| author_facet | Muller, Joanne Anneke Nelumbu, Naemi Mweshiyola |
| author_sort | Nelumbu, Naemi Mweshiyola |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131862 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:52.267Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131862 An evaluation of the EIA process in promoting sustainability in the mining sector of Namibia Nelumbu, Naemi Mweshiyola Muller, Joanne Anneke Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. Sustainable development -- Namibia Environmental impact analysis -- Evaluation -- Namibia UCTD Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH SUMMARY: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) can contribute significantly to the advancement of sustainable development by allowing the inclusion of the project’s ecological, social and economic aspects of the into the development process. In actuality, though, it's unclear if EIAs are carried out in a way that effectively advances sustainable development, and especially social sustainability. This research study therefore reviewed the literature pertaining to EIA effectiveness, developing a theoretical framework about the potential role that EIA could play in promoting social sustainability in Namibia's mining industry. The study designed an evaluation framework to assess the efficacy of EIA reports in promoting sustainable development, based on this literature review, and the importance of including the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals at the forefront of development. This research then used this evaluation framework to evaluate how effective the EIA process was in promoting social sustainability in the mining sector of Namibia, by exploring sixteen EIA reports. This same framework was also used to evaluate the Namibian legal framework as it relates to EIA. An evaluation research design was used, and the study also used multiple case studies based on sixteen EIA reports, using a combination of numeric and non-numeric data collection methods. The secondary data used in this desktop study came from archived data sources. The EIA reports were assessed using the evaluation framework as developed, which focussed on a social sustainability theoretical framework. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse non-numeric data, while Microsoft Excel was employed to analyse numeric data. The case studies found that societal problems were barely included in EIA reports or insufficient information was provided in the reports. The case studies further revealed that Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is not carried out in a specialised manner in the mining sector. The case studies revealed that public participation is done to comply with minimum legal requirements, although there are challenges such as indigenous people not being involved as they are supposed to be, or participation happens late in the process. With regards to the legal framework, the Namibian legislation has omitted several important aspects in their EIA Regulations. For example, the EIA Regulations do not state clearly what social information should be included in the EIA reports. In addition, both the Act and its regulations do not stipulate SIA or community meetings, thereby jeopardising the effective implementation of EIA. Lastly, the study made recommendations on improving social sustainability in Namibia. The recommendations are that environmental and social professionals must identify objectives, set processes, establish timetables, put into practice choices to fulfil predetermined goals for the proactive creation of achievable, sustainable results in order to bring the SDGs into compliance with the EIA procedure. This includes making sure that programmes, strategies, and policies support the SDGs' vision for transformative change and ensuring that the planned outcomes of an EIA are in line with efforts to advance social and economic objectives and improve and restore the environment. SIA reports should specifically address all the SDGs, Consultants should carefully match screening criteria with the SDGs and identify which project activities affect the SDGs. Consultants should ensure compliance with the respective SDGs, based on the kind of project and how the targets of those SDGs will be met. Moreover, EIA legislation and regulations should be reviewed to ensure that social sustainability aspects are addressed in the EIA reports, and provisions should be made for SIA and public meetings in the legislation and EIA Regulations. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Omgewingsimpakstudies (OIS) kan aansienlik bydra tot die bevordering van volhoubare ontwikkeling – deur die insluiting van ekologiese, sosiale en ekonomiese aspekte van die projek in die ontwikkelingsproses toe te laat. In die werklikheid is dit egter onduidelik of OIS uitgevoer word op 'n manier wat volhoubare ontwikkeling, en veral sosiale volhoubaarheid, effektief bevorder. Hierdie navorsingstudie het dus die literatuur oor OIS-doeltreffendheid hersien en 'n teoretiese raamwerk ontwikkel oor die potensiele rol wat OIS kan speel in die bevordering van sosiale volhoubaarheid in Namibie se mynbedryf. Die studie het 'n evalueringsraamwerk ontwerp om die doeltreffendheid van OIS-verslae in die bevordering van volhoubare ontwikkeling te evalueer, gebaseer op hierdie literatuuroorsig, en die belangrikheid daarvanom die Verenigde Nasie (VN) se Doelwitte vir Volhoubare Ontwikkeling aan die voorpunt van ontwikkeling in te sluit Hierdie navorsing het toe hierdie evalueringsraamwerk gebruik om te evalueer hoe doeltreffend die OIS-proses was om sosiale volhoubaarheid in die mynbousektor van Namibie te bevorder, deur sestien OIS-verslae te ondersoek. Hierdie selfde raamwerk is ook gebruik om die Namibiese wetlike raamwerk te evalueer wat met OIS verband hou. 'n Evalueringsnavorsingsontwerp is gebruik, en die studie het ook veelvuldige gevallestudies gebruik wat op sestien OIS-verslae gebaseer is, met 'n kombinasie van numeriese en nienumeriese data-insamelingsmetodes. Die sekondere data wat in die lessenaarstudie gebruik is, het gekom van argiefdatabronne. Die gevallestudies is geassesseer deur gebruik te maak van die evalueringsraamwerk soos ontwikkel, wat gefokus het op 'n sosiale volhoubaarheidsteoretiese raamwerk. Tematiese inhoudontleding is gebruik om nienumeriese data te ontleed, terwyl Microsoft Excel aangewend is om numeriese data te ontleed. Die gevallestudies het bevind dat maatskaplike probleme skaars in OIS-verslae ingesluit is of dat onvoldoende inligting in die verslae verskaf is. Die gevallestudies het verder aan die lig gebring dat sosiale impakstudies nie op 'n gespesialiseerde wyse in die mynbousektor uitgevoer word nie. Die gevallestudies het aan die lig gebring dat publieke deelname gedoen word om aan minimum wetlike vereistes te voldoen, alhoewel daar uitdagings was soos dat inheemse mense nie betrokke was soos hulle veronderstel is om te wees nie, of dat deelname laat in die proses plaasvind. Wat die wetlike raamwerk betref, het die Namibiese wetgewing verskeie belangrike aspekte uit hul OIS-regulasies weggelaat. Die OIS-regulasies stel byvoorbeeld nie duidelik watter sosiale inligting in die OIS-verslae ingesluit moet word nie. Daarbenewens stipuleer beide die Wet en sy regulasies nie SIS of gemeenskapsvergaderings nie, wat die effektiewe implementering van OIS in gevaar stel. Laastens het die studie aanbevelings gemaak oor die verbetering van maatskaplike volhoubaarheid in Namibie. Die aanbevelings is dat omgewings- en maatskaplike deskundiges doelwitte moet identifiseer, prosesse moet vasstel, skedules moet opstel, keuses in die praktyk moet maak en implementeer om voorafbepaalde doelwitte te bereik vir die proaktiewe skepping van haalbare, volhoubare resultate ten einde die Volhoubare Ontwikkelingsdoelwitte (VODe) in ooreenstemming met die OIS-prosedure te bring. Dit sluit in om te verseker dat programme, strategiee en beleide die VODe se visie vir transformerende verandering ondersteun en om te verseker dat die beplande uitkomste van 'n OIS in lyn is met pogings om sosiale en ekonomiese doelwitte te bevorder en die omgewing te verbeter en te herstel. Sosiale impakstudie verslae moet spesifiek al die VODe aanspreek, Konsultante moet keuringskriteria noukeurig in lyn bring met die VODe, en identifiseer watter projekaktiwiteite die VODe affekteer. Konsultante moet voldoening aan die onderskeie VODe verseker, afhangende van die tipe projek en hoe die beoogde uitkomste van daardie VODe bereik sal word. Verder moet OIS-wetgewing en -regulasies hersien word, om te verseker dat sosiale volhoubaarheidskwessies doeltreffend in die OIS verslae anngespreek word, en voorsiening moet gemaak word SIS en openbare vergaderings in die wetgewing en OISregulasies. Masters 2025-04-03T13:53:45Z 2025-04-03T13:53:45Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131862 Stellenbosch University xvi, 141 pages : illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Sustainable development -- Namibia Environmental impact analysis -- Evaluation -- Namibia UCTD Nelumbu, Naemi Mweshiyola An evaluation of the EIA process in promoting sustainability in the mining sector of Namibia |
| title | An evaluation of the EIA process in promoting sustainability in the mining sector of Namibia |
| title_full | An evaluation of the EIA process in promoting sustainability in the mining sector of Namibia |
| title_fullStr | An evaluation of the EIA process in promoting sustainability in the mining sector of Namibia |
| title_full_unstemmed | An evaluation of the EIA process in promoting sustainability in the mining sector of Namibia |
| title_short | An evaluation of the EIA process in promoting sustainability in the mining sector of Namibia |
| title_sort | evaluation of the eia process in promoting sustainability in the mining sector of namibia |
| topic | Sustainable development -- Namibia Environmental impact analysis -- Evaluation -- Namibia UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131862 |
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