Since February 2022, Wongeka Xatasi, a 2022 Green Connection Legacy Programme participant, started turning over a new leaf for Duncan Village in East London, by raising awareness about the importance of a united advocacy voice in the community’s fight for environmental and social justice.
On 24 February, small-scale fishers from communities in the West Coast joined by The Green Connection were back in court, to finally put a stop to Searcher’s seismic blasting of the west and south-west coast of South Africa. The Western Cape High Court heard arguments to decide if the ban which took effect on 7 February when the Honourable Justice Thulare directed Searcher to discontinue any activities related to the seismic survey will remain in place.
Ecuador, a country in South America is obliged, as ruled by the country’s top court to ensure that Indigenous communities are consulted, in a clear and accessible process, before any oil and gas extractive activity is planned on or near their territory.The ruling also stated that the consultation process must be carried out with the purpose of obtaining consent or reaching an agreement with the communities.
It has recently surfaced that Minister Gwede Mantashe held a meeting with traditional leaders on (3 February 2022). Representatives of coastal communities and supporting civil society organizations who were gathered in Durban, condemn this non-transparent action.
Since late-November 2021, following the overwhelming public outcry against Shell’s planned seismic surveys on the precious Wild Coast still an unrealised dream holiday destination on many a local’s bucket list South Africans have awoken to the fact that government intends to search for and extract any remaining oil and gas reserves, which comes at the cost of the livelihoods of those who depend on the ocean, and the land.
Today, less than a month after the successful court action that stopped Shell’s attempts at seismic surveys on the Wild Coast, in its search for oil and gas in South Africa’s oceans, small-scale fishers – with the support of The Green Connection – head back to court, this time to protect the West Coast.
On 14 December 2021, in the run-up to the court hearings in the second interdict (heard on 17 December) brought against Shell to stop its planned seismic survey off the Wild Coast, communities responded in strength and unity to Minister Mantashe’s disparaging statements regarding the overwhelming public pushback. Green Connection Legacy graduate Ntsindiso Nongcavu from Port St John’s says, “We categorically reject Minister Mantashe’s attempt to divide the powerful opposition, which continues to build, against mining oil and gas in our oceans.”
As the groundswell of opposition against Shell’s upcoming 3D seismic survey off the Transkei builds, the Green Connection – an ecojustice NGO that supports small-scale fishers in advocating for their livelihoods – reacted with astonishment to a press statement issued by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) on 9 December 2021.
This week (10 November 2021), we joined other environmental defenders in Cape Town to peacefully demonstrate outside the African Energy Week #AEW2021 conference venue demanding an end to fossil fuels and the immediate pivot toward the just transition to a renewable energy future.
Following their recent graduation from The Green Connection’s Legacy Champions Programme, these newly empowered Green Connectors say they feel equipped with the necessary advocacy skills to make positive changes in their communities, starting with their vote in the local elections (1 November) and weighing in on the discussions around COP26 (which starts on 31 October) – as part of their efforts to oppose oil and gas developments in the country and offshore.
