Offshore oil wells threaten SA fisheries and more, say NGOs

Ocean interest groups have come together to form the Oceans Not Oil campaign that aims to get 20 000 signatures in a petition against the approval of drilling offshore by the department of environment, forestry and fisheries.

Interest groups from Mtunzini beach, New Point beach, Durban, Scottburgh beach, Vaal River, Seaforth Beach, Simon’s Town, Clifton Fourth Beach, and Cape Town recently held a kayaktivism (protesting by kayaking) in response to the approval by Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy last December of the Italian oil corporation and Sasol’s application for exploratory drilling offshore.

Janet Solomon, a founding member of Oceans Not Oil, said it was of great concern that the minister has approved the offshore drilling.

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Oceans Not Oil has already collected 15 000 signatures from a coalition of 26 other non-governmental organisations, businesses, and concerned citizens, all in the interest of the ocean.

Solomon explained the drilling in the Agulhas current was a threat to sea life, due to the massive sounds created by the airguns.

She said the drilling poses a threat to animals using the Agulhas current as a tree channel for all sorts of animals, including baby turtles, down back whales, and hammerhead sharks.

“Most creatures living under the sea work on sound and sight, which is a huge trauma for them,” Solomon said.

Solomon added Sasol has a very poor reputation, especially in the Vaal area in terms of pollution in the Vaal River and the air. She said the six oil wells they are planning to drill into in the Agulhas current will be the deepest oil wells on earth.

“If something happens offshore, it can affect the entire east coast of South Africa and wipe out some fisheries,” she warned.

David le Page, coordinator for Fossil Free South Africa, said all new fossil fuel development was like getting a payday loan, seeking quick and easy solutions for our energy crises.

“But these are solutions that in reality have crippling long-term costs, not benefits. These developments may create a few jobs in one place, but contribute to the destruction of health, homes, good governance, and livelihoods of people elsewhere via air pollution, corruption, climate breakdown, and social conflict,” Le Page said.

Le Page said all fossil fuel development was now far more expensive than renewable energy.

“So there are only two reasons that fossil fuel companies get licenses now: corruption or incompetence on the part of government officials,” Le Page said.

He said people can vote against these developments by telling banks and asset managers to stop funding fossil fuel companies.

He said they are seeing this short-term thinking in Mozambique, where multinational oil companies are riding roughshod over the interests of local people with the collusion of corrupt government officials.

“No government that is truly democratic licenses fossil fuel production. When they do, courts are declaring these decisions to be against the best interests of human rights,” Le Page said.

marizkac@citizen.co.za