Fracking fears rears up again in KZN
URGENT NOTICE: Fracking fears for northern KZN - don't miss your chance to have your say
MEETINGS dealing with proposed fracking in Zululand are scheduled for early March.
Although not the same areas as those identified in the public consultation meetings held in November last year, the same company (Rhino Oil and Gas) are involved.
The meetings are being held to discuss proposed exploration in the region.
The areas involved in the latest round of consultations are Ulundi, Dundee, Pongola, Melmoth, Vryheid and Dannhauser.
The meetings are being facilitated by SLR Consulting on behalf of Rhino.
Whole of northern KZN included
The company has applied to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa to explore two million hectares, including 5 500 farms stretching from the N2 in the east to beyond the N11 in the west, with Melmoth and Ntambanana in the south and Pongola in the north.
Protected areas and residential properties are not included.
This area overlaps sections of the previous application of 1.5 million hectares, which included farms stretching from Eston in the south and as far north as just outside Ulundi.
Exploration will be for natural gas deposits in the main, but also minerals.
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Although not openly acknowledging their intention to frack, Hemming has admitted that, depending on the nature of the geology, fracking could be one of the mining methods used.
‘Fracking is a possible end goal,’ he said.
Persons wishing to register as ‘interested or affected parties’ need to contact SLR on telephone 011 4670945 or fax 011 4670975.
Their email is mhenning@slrconsulting.com or nbaloyi@slrconsulting.com.
The application needs to be made within three weeks of the publication of the advertisements which were placed in the Eyethu Zululand on Thursday, 18 February and the Zululand Observer dated 19 February.
Public meetings (all start at 2pm)
2 March – Multi-purpose Hall, Ulundi
3 March – Dundee High School
7 March – Thokoza Hall, next to TSB Sugar Mill, Pongola
8 March – Melmoth Town Hall
9 March – Cecil Emmett Hall, Eeufees Sport Centre, Vryheid
10 March – Richview Civic Hall, Newcastle
11 March – Annieville Community Hall, Dannhauser.
