VICTORIES ARE ROLLING IN FOR THE anti-fracking lobby in KwaZu-lu-Natal. State entities along with murky prospectors have attempted to bulldoze through exploration rights, deliberately breaking the law and making it difficult for the public to object.
Despite the revolving door access to the state mining authority enjoyed by corporate miners, they have repeatedly been defeated by activists and farmers who know their rights and in May won yet another round in the Western Cape High Court.
Judge DV Dlodlo was persuaded by Normandien Farms – which runs both timber operations and a R40-million water-bottling plant on its farm near Newcastle – to stop all exploration in an 800,000-hectare area, conducted by Cape-based Rhino Oil and Gas Exploration South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
The relief was sought against the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (Pasa), responsible for the promotion of petroleum exploration and exploitation, the Minister of Mineral Resources, and Rhino Oil and Gas, because Pasa ignored key components of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA).
The interdict means Pasa and Rhino will need to restart the application process, setting back Rhino’s projected timetable by at least six months.
The exploration right sought by Rhino would allow the company to drill for hydro-carbon deposits which could, years later, lead to mining.
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