Economic and Social Justice Trust
Economic & Social Justice Trust
The ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE TRUST (ESJT) was formed in 2012 by a group of activists to promote struggles for economic and social justice.
About the Trust
Economic & Social Justice Trust Aim
The key aims of the Trust are to enhance and promote the social and economic rights of Namibians.
About ESJT
The Economic and Social Justice Trust (ESJT), established in 2012 and registered in 2013, aims to promote economic and social justice in Namibia.
Economic & Social Justice Trust Aim
This includes the fair and equitable distribution of resources with a particular emphasis on enhancing the rights of the economically and socially excluded Namibians.
How does the Trust operate?
The Trust consists of activists who volunteer their time and knowledge to engage in campaigns and specific projects.
Which activities has the Trust undertaken so far?
The main activities of the Trust have centred on the prevention of marine phosphate mining and a tobacco plantation in the Zambezi region as well as the campaign for the rights of Shoprite workers and a basic income grant (BIG) for all Namibians.
Campaigns
Campaigns
Appeal for the Implementation of a Universal Basic Income Grant
Open letter to President Geingob from civil society organisations urging urgent BIG implementation of N$500/person/month for ages 0–59. Cites UN FAO data showing 1.5 million Namibians are food insecure and warns that mass youth unemployment will fuel social instability. Notes Namibia's ranking as the 2nd most unequal country in the world.
Motivation for the Call for a Moratorium on Oil & Gas Exploration in the Kavango Regions
Multi-organisation civil society petition to President Geingob, four ministers, and the Ombudsman calling for a halt to ReconAfrica's Kavango drilling. Details the company's lack of land rights and community consent, unlined waste pits, radioactive material risks, and argues Namibia's international climate commitments are incompatible with new fossil fuel extraction.
An Invitation to Join the Activist School
ESJT recruitment document for its 14-month Activist School launching August 2020. Invites 20–25 young activists from grassroots backgrounds to participate in monthly seminars covering inequality, housing rights, living wages, climate justice, and political economy. Emphasises participatory democracy and hands-on learning.
Latest Article
Articles
Arrest the Unemployment Crisis – Not the Youth!
Herbert Jauch condemns the Namibian police's use of the colonial-era Public Gatherings Act of 1989 to suppress youth unemployment protests on Independence Day 2023. Analyses the unemployment crisis (40–50% rate), argues Vision 2030 targets are unachievabl
Apr 3, 2023
Resistance to Marine Phosphate Mining in Namibia
Gaweseb and Jauch recount how they mounted a legal challenge against NMP's environmental clearance certificate. Details obstacles including a N$1,000 filing fee, risk of corporate lawsuits, and procedural pitfalls, framing it as a case study in citizen ac
Dec 31, 2022
Resistance to Marine Phosphate Mining in Namibia (Narrative Account)
First-person narrative by ESJT trustees of the appeal process against NMP's environmental clearance. Describes financial and legal obstacles, community organising, and the eventual success in having the clearance set aside, presented as a model for activi
Dec 31, 2022
Press statements
View and download press statements
2022
Open Letter to the Minister of Environment re Marine Phosphate Mining
ESJT writes to Minister Pohamba Shifeta criticising the Chamber of the Environment's CEO Dr Chris Brown for aggressively promoting NMP's marine phosphate mining despite having no marine science qualifications. Challenges the Chamber's claimed independence, given it was founded with seed money from B2Gold mining company.
View and download2021
Utilisation of Namibia's Bush Biomass
ESJT raises concerns about a German-backed proposal to export Namibian bush biomass to Hamburg for energy generation, arguing it replicates a colonial trade pattern. Proposes Namibia use biomass locally for housing boards, school furniture, energy generation, and job creation through Biomass Industrial Parks.
View and download2020
A Time to Show Solidarity with Shoprite Workers
ESJT statement issued on the first day of the December 2020 Shoprite strike. Recounts years of labour rights violations and union-busting. Calls on Namibians to join a consumer boycott of Shoprite stores and show solidarity with workers demanding a N$2,500 entry-level salary and N$600 monthly increase.
View and download2020
Saving Livelihoods: Coronavirus Requires Decisive Action
ESJT responds to COVID-19's arrival in Namibia, arguing the pandemic has exposed structural failures in housing, sanitation, and healthcare. Proposes immediate measures: wage support for reduced-hour workers, an emergency Basic Income Grant, moratorium on evictions and debt repayments, and public investment in water and sanitation infrastructure.
View and downloadContact