Cape Town - Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has vowed to push the legal wrangle with anti-gas exploration activists all the way to the Constitutional Court.
Mantashe was speaking at the Africa Oil Week event, which saw politicians, bureaucrats, bankers and European suits roll into Adderley Street to discuss oil and energy prospects, while protesting eco-activists smeared fake blood on themselves and left splatters on the pavement at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Mantashe said developments were unfolding in the upstream petroleum industry, and the government noted with interest lobby groups’ pushback.
On September 1, the Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) High Court squashed Mantashe’s decision to grant Shell exploration rights for a seismic survey to explore gas and off the Wild Coast.
The decision was first granted in 2014 and renewed last year, but activists reviewed the decision.
“The court (case) in Grahamstown will end up in the apex court. That’s how determined we are. Mantashe said.
“South Africa needs development more than ever. We cannot give up and die in poverty.
“Hunger is killing more people than anything else and we have a responsibility to develop the country,” he said.
Mantashe touched on the contentious $8.5 billion (R150bn) COP26 deal of 2021, which saw the US and EU agree to loan SA concessional and interest loans to wean Eskom off coal energy, transition and fast-track the country to green energy.
Bloomberg reported on Monday that the deal was on the precipice as Global North powers seek to coerce SA in how these loans are to be used. The agreement is expected to be discussed at the COP27 summit in Egypt next month.
Quizzed on the funding talks, Mantashe said: “I’m tempted to give the COP27 (question) to technocrats, but let me make one point: Africa cannot be dictated to. There is a concept (of) encirclement. When you’re encircled, it means as a smaller economy you have no space to think and you’re a conduit of ideas of developed economies. I think that is bad for Africa. Many of the sufferings we have are a product of colonisation, so solutions must be home-grown. Africa itself must think about responding to its challenges.”
He said when developed economies say part of the $8.5bn loan “is going be on accelerated exit of coal, I think it’s in their interest, not in our interest”.
Mantashe repeated his long-held view that South Africa must be systematic in moving away from coal and thoroughly weigh implications.
“Africa is unique and has its own challenges. Whatever comes out of COP27 must respond to the challenges of Africa. We’re not going to get solutions from the EU,” he said.
Mantashe said it was ironic that SA’s coal exports to Europe had increased eightfold, or by 720%, while Europe pressures SA to completely shun coal.
“Therefore, coal is a benefit to Africa,” he said.
Mantashe said climate change and the need to decarbonise “sits uncomfortably next to energy poverty” and “the urgency for improved human development”.
Turning his attention to protesters, he said hunger killed faster than fossil fuels.
Smeared in symbolic blood outside, Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Judy Scott-Goldman said: “We reject the idea of investing in new oil and gas projects in Africa as we increase carbon emissions every year, and we believe oil and gas (explorers) have blood on their hands.”
Mantashe expressed confidence in the new Eskom board and said though it was not operational, the new members had capacity and skill.