Many of us remember being told by our elders when we were young to hold a shell to our ears to hear the ocean, no matter how far you were from a seashore. Later on one learns that it is the reverberant air moving inside the hard, curved inner surfaces of a shell’s cavity, which produces the coincidental, pleasant sound similar to waves on a shore. Interestingly the … [Read more...]
Seismic protests erupt at petrol stations across SA
Following the widespread publication of plans by Royal Dutch Shell to conduct a non-stop, five-month-long seismic survey of South Africa’s pristine ‘Wild Coast,’ national outrage has erupted. The last two weeks have seen protest actions by communities and activist groups the length and breadth of our country, attempting to amplify the voices of our compatriots on the Wild … [Read more...]
Countdown to disaster for the Wild Coast
As the countdown begins to Shell’s seismic survey off the east coast of South Africa, conservationists are up in arms and are trying to beat the clock in efforts to stop Shell from following through with this operation. Shell announced their plans to commence seismic surveys along the Eastern Cape's Wild Coast, an area renowned for its high marine biodiversity, in just less … [Read more...]
SA unites against Wild Coast seismic blasting
As papers are being served on the Minister of Mineral Resources and the Director General of Petroleum Agency SA, and the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment by Interested and Affected Parties to suspend Shell’s seismic survey, nationwide protests along the coastline continue. There is also a boycott of Shell in progress, the tally of over 300 000 signatures … [Read more...]
Xolobeni community fights to stop Wild Coast titanium mining
On the 23rd to the 24th of April, a historic court case for mining-affected communities took place at the North Gauteng High Court in Tshwane. The Amadiba Crisis Committee, represented by their lawyers Richard Spoors Inc. and the Legal Resources Centre, took the Department of Mineral Resources to court in an attempt to get a declaratory order that would prevent proposed … [Read more...]
Global support in wake of Wild Coast anti-mining assassination
Following the brutal murder of the ACC Chairman Bazooka Rhadebe, there has been an unbelievable global groundswell of support given in aid of the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) and Sustaining The Wild Coast (SWC)'s mission to stop the extractive, cultural and environmentally destructive Australian mining company Mineral Commodities Limited (MRC) from destroying the ancestral … [Read more...]
AmaMpondo’s rights threatened by Wild Coast irregularities
A formal complaint has been lodged with the Public Protector against Sanral CEO Mr Nazir Alli with respect to his handling of an Unsolicited Bid received in 2001 for the N2 Wild Coast Toll road. Following storms of protest against Sanral's GFIP e-tolling scheme, it is now alleged that Mr Nazir Alli acted contrary to policy and good corporate governance principles to … [Read more...]
Wild Coast N2 concerns remain despite moratorium
Sustaining The Wild Coast (SWC) welcomes the recent decision by Minister Ndebele for a review of tolling as a means of financing road construction. This decision provides a partial vindication of SWC's decade long campaign against the N2 Wild Coast toll road proposal and public concerns about the exclusion of the social and economic impacts of tolling in the EIA … [Read more...]
Caging the Wild Coast
When rumours started flying that dune mining might be allowed at the Wild coast, tempers flared and serious discussions started happening around the water cooler. Fires were cooked all the way up to the minister of environmental affairs, and rightfully so. With so many protected areas on the brink of being exploited for the economic good of the country, environmentalists are … [Read more...]
Great green loo launch
On Saturday 27 November, after many months of research, manual labor and foraging we finally had the official opening of our new green ablutions. They were built on a property of the Siyephu family, who run village based accommodation at Mbolompo, deep on the rural Wild Coast, less than 2 hour hike from the famous Hole in the Wall. The community business was started two … [Read more...]
