Urgent interdict filed to stop Shell’s seismic survey

ENVIRONMENTAL Attorney’s, Cullinan and Associates will today represent applicants in an urgent interdict to stop Shell from proceeding with its planned seismic survey on the Wild Coast, which was set to begin today, December 1.

The applicants include Greenpeace Africa, the Border Deep Sea Angling Association, Kei Mouth Ski Boat Club and Natural Justice.

ALSO READ: Eco protest against Shell hits home

Cullinan and Associates delivered a certificate of urgency to the Registrar’s Office on Monday, November 29 for an urgent interdict. The Acting Judge Govindjee’s Directive was received shortly thereafter and a virtual hearing is set to take place today at 14:00.

According to the director of Cullinan and Associates, Cormac Cullinan, the purpose of a certificate of urgency is to enable the court to deal with the matter at hand urgently, so a matter that could have taken months would be dealt with in a matter of days, such as the Shell hearing. 

The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, and Shell were, on Monday, directed to file their answering affidavits by 16:00 on Tuesday, November 30.

However, according to Cullinan, Shell only filed the necessary documents six hours later.

ALSO READ: Highway residents protest against Shell’s Wild Coast seismic survey

Highway residents gathered outside the Shell garage on Old Main Road in Hillcrest, on Sunday, November 28 to protest and raise awareness about Shell’s plans.

Sunday’s protest was the second of its kind in the Highway area. According to petitioners, a vessel, operated by Shell, will, for five months, drag up to 48 air guns methodically through 6011km² of ocean surface, firing shock wave emissions that penetrate through 3km of water and 40km into the earth’s crust.

Concerned citizen and seismic survey protester, Luci Mitchell said this severe disruption of the marine ecosystem could have massive impacts on all life within the area, including the local fishing and ecotourism industries.

“Communities, already suffering from the economic effects of Covid-19, are up in arms about this possible threat to their livelihoods. Finally, to test for fossil fuels in the climate crisis we are experiencing is seen as ecocide. The message loud and clear across the world is to move away from fossil fuels towards renewables, for which South Africa is well suited,” said Mitchell.

Shell’s spokesperson, Pam Ntaka, on Monday was adamant that it was going ahead with the survey.

“Shell has a long experience in collecting seismic data and the welfare of wildlife is a major factor in the stringent controls we use, strictly following the international guidelines of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. These are based on decades of global scientific research,” Ntaka said.

Ntaka noted that Shell would take great care to prevent or minimise impacts on fish, marine mammals and other wildlife, adding that if this survey was not safe, Shell would not proceed with it based on its deep commitment to safety and the environment.

The survey will cover around 6 011km2, between Port St Johns and Morgans Bay.

Shell has not responded to request for comment at this stage.

Do you want to receive alerts regarding this and other Highway community news via Telegram? Send us a Telegram message (not an SMS) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409. You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts. Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.