Shell Seismic Survey In Line With Regulations

Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said Shell, Mineral Resources and Energy Department officials and the Petroleum Agency of South Africa have briefed Cabinet on the seismic survey being undertaken on the Wild Coast.

Human rights and environmentalist groups have approached the courts to try and stop the survey arguing the testing will cause irreparable harm to bird life and sea life.

Premier Oscar Mabuyane said Cabinet was reassured that an environmental study was independently conducted in line with regulatory requirements and a legal permit was obtained to carry out the seismic survey.

The petroleum giant has again committed to fully implementing all mitigation measures to ensure that it avoids a potential impact on the marine environment.

Mabuyane said provincial government invited Shell for a briefing to better understand the process and what exactly it entails.

He said the company has vowed to avail itself for requests for talks with all interested parties in the province and to support community engagements in addition to providing regular updates on the survey.

Cabinet has called on Shell to strengthen social facilitation and committed to stop at nothing to ensure the environment and the social rights of the people of the Eastern Cape are protected.

Officials said they view the work being done by Shell as critical in terms of the economic development prospects for the Eastern Cape with a potential shift from being a labour sending province to one that creates economic opportunities for its citizens.