By Daanyaal Matthews
The French conglomerate TotalEnergies has announced that planned projects on the western seaboard of the Republic, around Mossel Bay, would cease with speculation that the multinational corporation would move its activities to the Namibian Coast. This is seen as a huge blow to the Republic due to such a massive investor moving its activities away from the nation, but the Department of Minerals and Resources, which has largely ignored the outcries of environmental activists, has noted the action of the corporation but is optimistic that the natural resources will attract other investors.
For Liz McDaid, strategic lead at Green Connection, this is unlikely, especially with the precedent set by TotalEnergies as one of the largest gas organizations on the globe.
“It would be awkward for him [Minister Mantashe] to say, ‘Yeah, actually they did the right thing.’ So, I guess they would be saying, no, we are sure other people are going to come in, but Total, one of the biggest oil companies in the world, if they don’t think it’s economically viable, then who else would?” questioned McDaid.
The primary issue for TotalEnergies allegedly relates to red tape and difficulties in developing their plans while trying to remain economically viable in the South African market. For McDaid, the exit of TotalEnergies is a victory for the coastal communities that have long been weary of the presence of the oil giant as negatively affecting their environment and local economy.
“Remember those communities all around the coast making a living off the sea, those sustainable livelihoods. And you don’t want to be causing more people to go into unemployment because now there’s some environmental disaster and the sea life is impacted. So, all in all, I think it’s good that Total has withdrawn, but it’s not the end of the road because of course there could be others that come in,” said McDaid.
VOCNews
Photo: WikiMedia
