The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) has ramped up efforts to grow its Namibian branch, with a renewed focus on strengthening local leadership and technical capacity in the country’s mining sector.
Speaking during a recent event, SAIMM Namibia Chairperson Tomas Aipanda underlined the institute’s commitment to fostering a mining industry “led by Namibians for Namibians,” adding that localisation and professional development were central to its mission.
“SAIMM Namibia is here to promote technical innovation, professional growth, and to ensure Namibian professionals are recognised as leaders across the mining sector. We are committed to expanding our membership and building a robust network of local experts,” Aipanda said.
Founded nearly 130 years ago, SAIMM was established by technical mining experts to unify professionals and promote continuous development throughout the mining value chain.
While traditionally South Africa-focused, the organisation has evolved into a regional body, expanding across the SADC region. Branches are currently being established in Mozambique and Angola, with Namibia playing a key role in this regional expansion.
Despite this momentum, Aipanda noted that membership in Namibia remains low, with figures hovering around fifty. He said the branch is now prioritising awareness campaigns, events, webinars, and partnerships with companies to rebuild and grow its membership base.
“While engineers often register through the Engineering Council of Namibia, mining and metallurgical engineers remain underrepresented. SAIMM is working to bridge that gap by supporting these professionals in achieving formal registration, which is crucial for their career progression and industry credibility,” he said.
Membership benefits include access to a bi-monthly technical journal, networking opportunities, and technical site visits.
Aipanda said corporate support is not only sought for financial backing but to align companies with SAIMM’s broader professional development objectives.
Employers are encouraged to sponsor employee memberships as part of their human capital development strategy.
The SAIMM Namibia leadership committee includes senior academics from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), experts from the University of Namibia (UNAM), and representatives from private sector companies.
Aipanda said this broad base of representation was essential to ensuring SAIMM reflects the full spectrum of Namibia’s mining expertise.
Renowned gold miner and CEO of Koryx Copper, Heye Daun, echoed the importance of professional validation and urged mining professionals—particularly engineers—to join the institute.
“For me, a NUST degree or a UNAM degree can compete anywhere in the world. But it depends on what you do with it. Competence and credibility are everything, and institutions like SAIMM play a crucial role in building that foundation. Membership validates your career; it’s a major tick mark on any CV,” Daun said.
He further noted the importance of qualified professionals, especially in publicly listed mining companies, where reporting often requires sign-off by a Qualified Person (QP), a designation strengthened by institutional affiliation such as SAIMM membership.
Also in attendance were key industry figures, including Zebra Kasete, Executive Vice President of the Sinomine Tsumeb Smelter and former president of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia (2023–2025), and former Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo.
Their presence signalled broad industry support for the institute’s localisation and professionalisation agenda.
