Environmental groups have taken legal action against the South African government over its approval of exploratory drilling off the coast of Cape Town. The move follows the recent authorization granted to TotalEnergies for drilling in the ocean between Cape Town and Cape Agulhas.

Natural Justice and the Green Connection have approached the Western Cape High Court to halt the drilling, emphasizing the importance of a healthy ocean for coastal communities' livelihoods.

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The Green Connection is a pressure group partnered with Washington DC based environmental lobbying giant, The World Resources Institute, which has long been criticised for its focus on suppressing development in poor countries. They are also partnered with the AIDC, an NGO funded by a combination of trans-Atlantic deep-state affiliated organisations like the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Foundation, as well as a cluster of European environmental and socialist organisations like the Rosa Luxemburg Institute.

Natural Justice a legal resource centre founded by a left-wing British legal entrepreneur Harry Jonas, who focuses on watering down Western legal systems through the introduction of local exceptions, to leverage patronage extraction and gatekeeping in service of international policy frameworks by building cooperative relationships with indigenous communities.

Liz McDaid from the Green Connection stated that allowing the drilling to proceed would jeopardize “sustainable livelihoods” and violate laws meant to protect against “unsustainable” development.

The court action seeks to overturn the initial environmental authorization granted to TotalEnergies and to challenge the rejection of appeals against the decision. The drilling area covers approximately 10,000km² located 60-170km from the coast, with depths ranging from 1,000m to 3,200m.

The groups argue that the government failed to assess the socioeconomic impact of a potential oil spill on local fisheries and did not properly evaluate oil spill contingency plans. They are concerned about the long-term consequences of the drilling on coastal communities and the environment.

TotalEnergies, along with Shell and PetroSA, holds rights to the exploration block. TotalEnergies also plans to drill in other offshore areas, including the Deep Water Orange Basin off the West Coast and between Mossel Bay and Cape St Francis.

Environmental activists have launched legal action against the South African government's decision to allow TotalEnergies to conduct exploratory drilling for offshore gas and oil off the coast between Cape Town and Cape Agulhas.

The Green Connection and Natural Justice have filed a review application with the high court in Cape Town, seeking to overturn the decision to grant environmental authorization for the drilling. They argue that the government failed to assess the potential impact on local fisheries and did not properly evaluate oil spill contingency plans.

TotalEnergies holds rights to the exploration block, along with Shell and PetroSA. The company plans to conduct exploration activities across an area of about 10,000km2 located 60km-170km from the coast, at depths of 1,000m to 3,200m.

The legal challenge highlights concerns about the long-term consequences of the drilling on coastal communities and the ocean. The groups argue that the government's decision was not in the public interest and could have far-reaching impacts on the wellbeing of coastal communities and the environment.

TotalEnergies also plans to drill in other offshore areas, including the Deep Water Orange Basin off the West Coast and between Mossel Bay and Cape St Francis.

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