George Herald | Anti-fracking lobby set for all-out fight

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Anti-fracking lobby set for all-out fight
05:00 (GMT+2), Thu, 09 August 2012

$Anti-fracking lobby set for all-out fight$

In the USA, harmful chemical concoctions are used to extract shale gas which contaminates underground water. Their costly environmental lessons came at a price. In SA the environmental activist group TKAG wants to halt shale gas mining and is prepared to take on the South African government, who believes it may create jobs. Shale gas mining is under moratorium in at least 150 jurisdictions around the world.

KAROO NEWS - The best legal minds have been appointed to halt the plans for shale gas mining in the Karoo and are preparing to take the fight to the constitutional court if need be, said Jonathan Deal, Chairman of the Treasure Karoo Action Group (TKAG) this week.

The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) is expected to present a technical report to Ca-binet early in August, after which cabinet will make its decision on whether or not to lift the moratorium and allow exploratory drillings to go ahead.
Companies which have applied to use the environmentally damaging fracking process, include Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Falcon Oil and Gas Ltd and Bundu Oil and Gas (Pty) Ltd.

TKAG has refocused its legal strategy in preparation for an all-out confrontation with the South African government to prevent fracking in the Karoo. In addition, the group has concluded agreements with like-minded opposition groups to form a broad alliance in opposition to fracking and will be making an announcement on this during the week.

"We have engaged the well established firm of Cullinan and Associates who will bring fresh thinking and decades of experience to our approach at this critical time in our campaign," said Deal.

Last year, South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) imposed a moratorium on fracking with the aim of implementing a study into the environmental impact of the controversial form of shale gas extraction, which has been banned, or is under moratorium or restriction in at least 150 jurisdictions around the world.

Fear that the licences would be granted were raised, when Energy Minister Elizabeth Peters noted during a recent departmental meeting that: "It would be wrong for us to not use the resources that God left us with. This is a blessing that God gives us, and we need to exploit for the benefit of the people," before noting that the people of the Karoo were 'going hungry'.

"We have been preparing for the moratorium to be lifted for a long time," said Deal. "Now, in the run up to the decision by government we are refocusing our efforts to present a high-powered, well prepared legal campaign which we believe will halt the minster in her tracks.

Shell campaign
"And we believe we have the support of right thinking South Africans as we move forward. We are not deterred by the fact that a number of people may have been influenced by Shell's relentless pro-fracking propaganda, regarding the size of the gas deposit to the number of jobs that could be created," said Deal. "We also know that Shell has been less than open with the truth about the irreversible damage to the environment that fracking causes and the figures surrounding jobs."

Fed-up
"The Government's dramatic reversal over e-tolling in Gauteng, after massive public outcry earlier this year has shown that ordinary people are sick and tired of government riding rough-shod over the will of the people, whose lives are most impacted upon by their often ill-considered decisions.

"Our message to government is: if you rule in favour of fracking under the current circumstances, prepare for a long and costly legal battle as the people who will be most affected fight back."