Namaqualand farmers fight back as mining threatens their land

A surge in prospecting and mining applications looms over their land, water and way of life. Many say they are not being properly consulted - and that damage done a century ago still scars the earth.

- By Kristin Engel

Although mining drives the Northern Cape's economy, it often leaves lasting environmental damage.

The harsh sun of Namaqualand was beating down on Christiaan Pool, the seventh generation of his family to farm Biesjesfontein in Namaqualand, close to the town of Rietpoort and the bigger town of Bitterfontein, as he spoke to Daily Maverick.

“You'll never get rich farming in Namaqualand. The land will look after you if you look after it. That is the bottom line and how we farm... This is the only way of living that I know,” said Pool.

He farms mainly sheep and some wheat, which depends on rainfall and how early in winter it starts. “When the rain comes we determine whether we will sow the wheat or not,” he said.

Pool, like other farmers in Namaqualand, is trying to adapt to newer and more sustainable types of farming. But their efforts, including turning their lands into protected environments and private nature reserves, are being stymied by an onslaught of prospecting and mining applications.

This is on top of renewable energy developments, the illegal harvesting of drylands species, climate change and the arid region already being short of water.

Pool was one of several farmers Daily Maverick interviewed while in the Northern Cape’s drylands two weeks ago with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) to view projects and the work of its Drylands Conservation Programme.

Prospecting and mining applications

The farmers said they were seeing a surge in prospecting and mining applications that they believe are threatening their land, water and way of life. They also criticised the conduct of mining companies during their applications.