Mantashe accuses NGO’s of blocking vital development in SA

‘Lobby groups, pit the development needs of poor communities against their own self-proclaimed protection of the environment’-Mantashe

As communities and environmental activists in Gqeberha protest over the planned seismic survey off the wild coast, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe says their actions do more harm than good.

ACTIVISTS CONCERNS

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The coastal area between Gqeberha and Plettenberg Bay including the Port Elizabeth Corals Marine Protected Area-home to endangered kingklip corals- has been earmarked for possible oil and gas exploration. The study is expected to take place over five months. However this coincides with a critic season for marine life and communities. The annual sardine run is a boost to the local economy, and a source of food for birdlife, whales, and the endangered african penguin. The migration of turtles and their hatchlings and kingklip spawning along the South and Eastern Cape coastline.

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According to the HeraldLive, the proposed survey, multinational corporation CGG Services, will cover an area of up to 9,000km², in a 12,750km² area of interest, located in water depths of 200m to beyond 4,000m, and ranging between 45km and 120km from the coast.

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MANTASHE ON GAS EXPLORATION

However, Manashe, during his budget vote speech, detailed how the demand for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has doubled in the last 10 years and is poised to grow more. LPG can reduce demand for electricity during peak hours thereby minimize the severity of load shedding.

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“In line with the country’s oceans economy agenda, we work hard to attract investments in the oil and gas sector and bringing communities on board to see the benefit of this for development. In 2022, we undertook consultations in seven kingdoms and fishing communities in the Eastern, Northern, and Western Cape Provinces. The consultations helped us appreciate real and prevailing sentiments about oil and gas developments.”

“These sit in contrast to lobby groups, mostly foreign-funded, that pit the development needs of poor communities against their own self-serving, self-proclaimed protection of the environment”, he said.

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