Shell taken to court as protests against Wild Coast seismic blasting spread

OThe argument that the oil and gas extraction imbedded into Operation Phakisa will benefit SA has worn paper thin

ne 10cm by 9cm scrap of ink on newsprint, a little notice in this newspaper, has created a public interest storm which is blowing around the world. Royal Dutch Shell’s announcement on November 1 that seismic surveying in search of gas and oil would start today, was splashed by the Daily Dispatch — along with warnings from local scientists and environmentalists that sonic blasting of the ocean would damage, if not decimate, vast chunks of marine life.

The news set off a wave of environmental awareness culminating in an unprecedented national protest on the coastline advertised for Sunday.

The public response shook this paper.

This was an issue which went beyond the usual drudgery of party politics and the interminable droning on of bureaucratic martinets.

This was global, from the future, and it seemed to shake people from a place of stasis, like the first chord of a piece of music.

Peering through the oil and smoke to get to the truth will be the work of the courts.

An urgent application to stop seismic blasting off the Wild Coast will be heard virtually in the Eastern Cape high court in Makhanda at 2pm today.

It is somewhat misleading to only focus on Shell defying its own Dutch court order to reduce emissions and the call from COP26 to move away from fossil fuel.

It is starting to sink in that the ruling party, through its investment vehicle, Thebe, has a 28% stake — at least — in the dream of billions upon billions of oil profits. Will the public benefit or will the public pay?

The Eastern Cape is only starting to build a comprehensive picture of the history of Shell, but one event is burnt into the African consciousness: Shell paid R250m in settlement in the human rights violation case where it was accused of collaborating in the execution of environmental activist Ken Saro-wiwa and nine other leaders of the Ogoni tribe in Nigeria on November 10 1995.

On Tuesday, the Amazon Warrior and its muscle ship Astra G which had lain in wait off Morgan Bay suddenly upped anchor and headed back towards the Cape, causing hearts to flutter.

For many, the argument that the oil and gas extraction embedded into Operation Phakisa will benefit SA has worn paper thin, and some say should be scrapped for the benefit of green energy and life on Earth.