Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe has expressed interest in lifting the moratorium on shale gas exploration, describing it as a potential game changer for the country.
Last year, Minister Mantashe stated that he wanted shale gas to be “exploited,” while asserting that a balance could be struck between national development and climate change concerns.
Neville van Rooy, Community Outreach Coordinator at the Green Connection, has questioned the reasoning behind the minister’s comments, arguing that the Karoo — the primary area targeted for shale gas fracking — has insufficient resources to justify lifting the moratorium.
“We are concerned that this research is mandated by the very same minister and very same department that wants to frack the Karoo. We have not changed our stance as the people of the Karoo, as we will not allow our land, our territory, to be fracked once again, as we are very much concerned not only about climate change but also the impact it would have on the local ecosystem,” stated van Rooy.
Van Rooy added that the minister’s comments reflect a broader stance on energy and resources that he finds troubling, particularly given the urgency of the climate crisis.
“It’s not the first time he has gone this way. We are really concerned that the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources is run by this person that is pro-gas and pro-fossil fuels while we are in a climate crisis. We know that gas in a 20-year period is much more devastating than carbon dioxide or any related fossil fuels, so this is a reckless decision in our view,” added van Rooy.
Listen to the full interview here:
