Navachab Gold Mine has recorded 17 years without a workplace fatality while continuing to strengthen safety measures at an operation where employees work daily around heavy mining equipment and other occupational risks.
The safety milestone was highlighted during the mine’s first Media Engagement in Karibib on Friday (2 October). As of 15 July 2026, Navachab had achieved 12 consecutive months without a lost-time injury and four million lost-time-injury-free man-hours. The mine’s Total Injury Frequency Rate also fell from 16.97 in July 2025 to 9.30 year-to-date. Managing Director George Botshiwe said the results were encouraging but stressed that mining remained an inherently high-risk industry. “Where a person and a machine meet, there can be no room for complacency,” Botshiwe said. He said no production target should be more important than ensuring employees returned home safely.
Navachab said its safety approach includes critical-risk management, critical-control verification, fatigue management, safety campaigns and employee participation through its SHE Representative Programme. The mine is certified to ISO 45001 for Occupational Health and Safety and ISO 14001 for Environmental Management. Safety also extends beyond the mine’s boundaries through Navachab’s emergency-response capabilities. According to Botshiwe, its teams have supported communities in Karibib, Usakos and Otjimbingwe during vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, trauma cases and fires. Alongside safety, Navachab is placing emphasis on developing its workforce. The mine currently employs 911 people, including 179 women.
Of the total workforce, 735 are permanent employees, 168 are temporary employees and seven are expatriates. A further 573 contractors support the operation. Navachab spent approximately N$2.3 million on training and skills development in 2025 and provided practical industry exposure to more than 100 interns. Training programmes include technical and on-the-job training, supervisory and soft-skills development, individual development plans, succession planning and statutory training.
The mine is also working with Australian underground mining specialist Byrnecut on its underground development project. Navachab says succession planning and training are being used to ensure that specialist expertise brought into the operation contributes to the development of Namibian employees. Botshiwe said the mine’s development should go hand in hand with the development of Namibians. “For us, developing the mine must also mean developing Namibians,” he said.
Navachab also reported stable labour relations, with a three-year wage agreement in place and no industrial action reported during the past five years. The mine says maintaining a safe, skilled and stable workforce will remain important as it considers future exploration, underground development and processing expansion.
By Sharlien Tjambari
