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Sunday, 6 September 2026
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Sunday, 6 September 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Timoteus Mufeti

Also known as: Environment commissioner Timoteus Mufeti · Mr Timoteus Mufeti

Environmental Commissioner who granted an environmental clearance certificate to Namibian Marine Phosphate for the Sandpiper marine phosphate mining project.

2024-11-092026-09-06

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. April 2026
  2. Windhoek Observer

    Timoteus Mufeti said a compliance order has been issued to stop further dumping

    Source

    Mufeti said the ministry is working to remove the landfill section from the park so it can be handed to the municipality.

    OBSERVER COASTAL | Walvis Bay mayor vows to extinguish landfill fires
  3. The Namibian

    Timoteus Mufeti said the move is necessary to enable Municipality of Walvis Bay to manage landfill and enforce bylaws

    Source

    Environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti on Tuesday said the move is necessary to enable the Municipality of Walvis Bay to manage the landfill and enforce its bylaws.

    Ministry moves to de-proclaim landfill area
  4. The Namibian

    Timoteus Mufeti said burning of tyres at landfill is illegal and poses serious health and environmental risks

    Source

    The ministry said the burning of tyres at the landfill is illegal and poses serious health and environmental risks.

    Ministry moves to de-proclaim landfill area
  5. New Era

    Timoteus Mufeti said the ministry has already issued a compliance order to stop the dumping of waste at the site

    Source

    Responding, environmental commissioner at the environment Timoteus Mufeti said the ministry has already issued a compliance order to stop the dumping of waste at the site.

    Live at Walvis’ troubled dumpsite
  6. March 2026
  7. New Era

    Environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti said the future of uranium mining depends on an independent assessment from the International Atomic Energy Agency

    Source

    The anticipated future of uranium mining in the Omaheke region depends on an independent assessment from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti said.

    Omaheke uranium decision hangs in  balance
  8. Informanté

    Environmental Commissioner Timoteus Mufeti confirmed no final decision yet made on Leonardville uranium ISL mining project

    Source

    THE Environmental Commissioner, Timoteus Mufeti, has confirmed that no final decision has yet been made concerning the proposed uranium in-situ leach (ISL) mining project in the Leonardville area of the Omaheke Region.

    No final decision yet on Leonardville uranium in-situ leach mining project
  9. February 2026
  10. The Namibian

    Environmental Commissioner Timoteus Mufeti stated that Namibia lacks experience and technical expertise to assess environmental impact of in-situ leach mining

    Source

    According to environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti, Namibia does not have the experience or technical expertise to assess the potential environmental impact of this type of mining.

    Decision on Omaheke uranium mining will be based on science – government
  11. The Namibian

    Environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti said the idea of creating the CMA has been parked because there has not been an appetite for its implementation

    Source

    During the open session for questions at the stakeholder consultation on the proposed sand and gravel mining regulations for the Oshana and Omusati regions, held at Ongwediva at the end of last month, environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti said the idea of creating the CMA has since been parked because there has not been "an appetite for its implementation".

    Duplication halts coastal authority implementation
  12. The Namibian

    Timoteus Mufeti says Namibia is nearing banning production and importation of certain plastic products

    Source

    At a similar engagement for the Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions at Eenhana, environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti has said Namibia is nearing banning the production and importation of certain plastic products.

    Revised act casts wider conservation net
  13. The Namibian

    Timoteus Mufeti says ministry has closed illegal sand mining sites and rehabilitated about 30 sand-mined sites

    Source

    He says the ministry has closed numerous illegal sand mining sites and rehabilitated about 30 sand-mined sites, some of which date back to the pre-independence period.

    Revised act casts wider conservation net
Opinion

Environmental commissioner Mufeti grants permits despite evident flaws

The News

An editorial argues that environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti is granting environmental clearance certificates without proper due diligence, citing his approval of marine phosphate mining despite fisheries minister opposition and a High Court finding that he failed to apply his mind when clearing mining at Erindi Private Game Reserve, where he overlooked endangered species.

4 hours ago · The Namibian

Today

  1. Environmental commissioner Mufeti grants permits despite evident flaws

    An editorial argues that environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti is granting environmental clearance certificates without proper due diligence, citing his approval of marine phosphate mining despite fisheries minister opposition and a High Court finding that he failed to apply his mind when clearing mining at Erindi Private Game Reserve, where he overlooked endangered species.

    4 hours ago · The Namibian

Friday 4 September

  1. Vice President urges youth involvement in sustainable development

    Vice President Lucia Witbooi addressed the fifth Sustainable Development Awards ceremony, calling for youth empowerment as a driver of Namibia's sustainable development and emphasizing that sustainable development is a shared national endeavour requiring commitment from all sectors of society.

    4 September 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 3 September

  1. Agriculture minister appeals Sandpiper phosphate environmental clearance

    Agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani has appealed against the environmental commissioner's decision to grant an environmental clearance certificate to Namibian Marine Phosphate for the Sandpiper marine phosphate mining project, appealing against the decision in its entirety and all conditions in the certificate.

    3 September 2026 · The Namibian

Monday 24 August

  1. Fishing workers protest marine phosphate mining approval

    Fishing industry workers, backed by community members and politicians, protested in Walvis Bay on Thursday against marine phosphate mining following the Ministry of Environment's issuance of an Environmental Clearance Certificate to the Sandpiper Marine Phosphate Project. Workers handed a petition calling for stricter scrutiny, citing concerns about potential impacts on fish stocks, jobs, and coastal livelihoods.

    24 August 2026 · New Era

Monday 17 August

  1. Swapo youth league calls Cabinet oversight of environmental permits

    The Swapo Party Youth League wants the Cabinet to oversee environmental clearance decisions, arguing that ministers must supervise decisions within their ministries. Critics including former Cabinet minister Helmut Angula warn that Cabinet involvement could politicise the process and that administrators should remain responsible for ECC applications.

    17 August 2026 · The Namibian

Sunday 16 August

  1. Editorial: Namibia needs clear seabed phosphate mining policy

    The Namibian editorial commends President Nandi-Ndaitwah for opposing seabed phosphate mining but criticizes the lack of clear policy, after environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti granted Namibian Marine Phosphate an environmental clearance certificate despite more than a decade of unresolved controversy.

    16 August 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 12 August

  1. President opposes marine phosphate mining approval in Atlantic

    President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah reportedly objects to environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti's approval of an environmental clearance certificate for Namibian Marine Phosphate's Sandpiper project to mine for fertilisers in the Atlantic Ocean, saying Namibia should not be used for an ocean experiment. The president held a meeting with senior government officials this week to express concerns about the decision made without apparent consultation on a matter of massive public interest.

    12 August 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 11 August

  1. Fishing body threatens challenge to marine phosphate environmental clearance

    The Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations has threatened to challenge the validity of Namibian Marine Phosphate's environmental clearance certificate, alleging the environmental commissioner failed to respond to repeated information requests since May 2022 and broke a July 2022 promise to provide a response before the certificate was issued on 5 August.

    11 August 2026 · The Namibian

  2. Fishing industry challenges phosphate project environmental clearance

    The Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations has enlisted lawyer Sisa Namandje to challenge the Environmental Clearance Certificate granted to Namibia Marine Phosphate for the Sandpiper Marine Phosphate Project, citing the Environmental Commissioner's lack of transparency and failure to address the industry's repeated concerns since 2022.

    11 August 2026 · New Era

Thursday 30 April

  1. Walvis Bay mayor pledges action on persistent landfill fires

    Walvis Bay mayor Johannes Shimbilinga has pledged to address landfill fires that have blanketed parts of the town in smoke, citing public health and air quality concerns. He attributed the fires to unauthorised activity and tyre burning, announced an immediate ban on tyre dumping, and said the municipality is working to transfer land within Dorob National Park to improve site management.

    30 April 2026 · Windhoek Observer

Friday 10 April

  1. Ministry de-proclaiming landfill area to boost municipal oversight

    The Ministry of Environment and Tourism will remove part of the Walvis Bay landfill from Dorob National Park to allow the municipality full management authority and ability to enforce bylaws. The ministry has issued a compliance order against illegal tyre burning at the site, which residents report creates toxic smoke affecting the town, and has flagged health risks from living near the landfill.

    10 April 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 9 April

  1. Walvis Bay dumpsite becomes informal settlement amid health risks

    A controlled landfill in Walvis Bay has transformed into an informal settlement housing over 100 shacks and more than 300 people, with residents reporting illegal tyre burning, undercover prostitution, domestic violence, and drug activity. The situation raises serious environmental and health concerns for surrounding communities, prompting authorities to engage stakeholders on de-proclaiming the portion within Dorob National Park to enable better municipal management.

    9 April 2026 · New Era

Wednesday 4 March

  1. Omaheke uranium project awaits IAEA assessment before government decision

    The government is seeking an independent technical assessment from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) before deciding on Headspring Investments' application to conduct four-year test mining using in-situ leaching in the Omaheke region. Environmental Commissioner Timoteus Mufeti said the decision will prioritise science-based evaluation of impacts on the Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer System and community rights, with the IAEA's technical report expected to undergo inter-ministerial review before March.

    4 March 2026 · New Era

Monday 2 March

  1. IAEA assessment underway for Leonardville uranium project

    The Environmental Commissioner confirmed no final decision has been made on the proposed uranium in-situ leach mining project in Leonardville, Omaheke Region. The government is awaiting a technical assessment from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which conducted an independent review mission in February 2026 to evaluate environmental, groundwater, health and safety impacts before the government decides whether to proceed.

    2 March 2026 · Informanté

Thursday 26 February

  1. Government says Omaheke uranium decision will rest on science

    Namibia's environment ministry will base its decision on a proposed uranium mining project in Omaheke on scientific findings, not politics, the government said. The project—an in-situ leach mining operation by Headsprings Investments (under Russian state-owned Rosatom)—has raised concerns about contamination of the Stampriet aquifer, which supplies water to the region and neighbouring countries. The government has requested a technical assessment from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which will deliver its report in March.

    26 February 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 11 February

  1. Coastal Management Authority implementation delayed due to duplications

    The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has halted implementation of the proposed Coastal Management Authority citing overlaps with existing legislation, particularly the Fisheries Act and Pollution Act. Ministry officials say functions such as coastal pollution responsibility were unclear, as the department of maritime affairs already handles such matters.

    11 February 2026 · The Namibian

Saturday 7 February

  1. Revised Environmental Act expands ecosystem protection measures

    Namibia's amended Environmental Management Act will extend legal protections to ecosystems like natural springs and habitats previously unprotected, and set standards for noise, smell, water and air quality. The ministry is consulting on proposed sand and gravel mining regulations and has flagged unprecedented illegal sand mining as a major environmental concern, attributing it to weak management, corruption, and insufficient enforcement.

    7 February 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 15 January

  1. Uukwambi Traditional Authority begins sand-mining site rehabilitation process

    The Uukwambi Traditional Authority has started rehabilitating sand-mined borrow pits in its jurisdiction, including at Onatshiku village in Oshana region, after residents questioned the delay. The authority must submit detailed rehabilitation plans to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism for approval, and is responsible for funding the work, which operators can carry out using their equipment.

    15 January 2026 · The Namibian

Timoteus Mufeti — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute