1 October 2023
PRESS STATEMENT
Is this an environment minister applying her mind to care for the ocean? or Total madness?
The last few days of September, ahead of the start of Marine Month in South Africa, left ocean defenders shocked and reeling in disbelief as Minister Creecy, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, who we depend upon as being on the side of the environment and communities’ well-being, has betrayed that trust. In this short time the Minister has enabled two oil and gas prospecting authorizations in our ocean.
In the first instance, French owned company, TotalEnergies, with partners Shell and PetroSA, have applied and been granted environmental authorization by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), to drill up to 5 oil wells 60 km off Cape Point. Indigenous coastal communities and small-scale fishers, individual researchers, scientists, business persons, non-governmental organizations, academics, members of the public and the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning appealed this authorization. Despite 17 different grounds for appeal, Creecy dismissed the appeals. She confirmed the environmental authorization on the same conditions as stated in the original approval by DMRE, with the one addition. She has instructed the company it must employ a liaison officer to address any questions and concerns that small-scale fishers and their communities may have.
Read the full statement HERE <
This press statement was coordinated by: Coastal Justice Network (jackiesunde25@gmail.com) and under signed by various civil society groups/organisations