Layers of red dust coat South Africa's Saldanha Bay, a legacy of the one billion-plus tonnes of iron ore exported from what was once a quiet coastal fishing town in the 1970s. Now the government wants to turn this area into the "oil and gas hub of South Africa", but opposition from local communities and civil society could force a change of plan.
Since 2014 South Africa has developed a strategy for taking "full advantage" of its marine resources, known as Operation Phakisa. It has resulted in more than 95% of the ocean off South Africa’s nearly 3,000-kilometre coastline being mapped for oil and gas exploration.
The plan seeks to "drill 30 exploration wells in 10 years", which it estimates could lead to the production of an average of 370,000 barrels of oil and gas per day over 20 years, with Saldanha Bay earmarked as a key logistics hub. It also aims to develop other marine sectors like aquaculture, maritime transport and ocean tourism.
However, two major court cases against the government and
Read More
