About 200 people came together in Plettenberg Bay on Saturday to protest against the application by TotalEnergies to drill for oil and gas along the coastline.
The Garden Route residents walked from the taxi rank to the central beach, shouting “Stop exploration of gas” while a horn was blown in the background.
The protest march was organised by the Plettenberg Bay Community Environment Forum.
Organiser Julie Carlisle said the aim was to unite with other communities against the proposal.
“The drilling is proposed to take place over 25 years, with a pipeline from here to Mossel Bay running for 109km along the sea bed,” she said.
“The areas of the gas well and seismic testing will completely destroy the seabed. The area sits between two Marine Protected Areas.
“The communities of the Garden Route have everything to lose and nothing to gain from this proposed project. Community engagement has been very poor.”
The forum has combined a list of objections and urged people who still wish to object to do so.
The list submitted by the forum detailed the impact the activities could have on marine life as underwater noise could cause major disruptions.
According to the forum, the sediment and toxic chemicals allegedly discharged during drilling would be detrimental.
They said the underwater noise would affect marine mammals such as whales, dolphins and seals, and their migration routes would be disrupted.
“Critical biodiversity areas, ecological support areas, and several Marine Protected Areas will be affected by drilling,” Carlisle said.
At the central beach, Chief Namaqua Barend Fredericks said the community deserved a clean, green climate and water could not and should not mix with oil.
“The ocean is sacred to South Africans. We worship our ancestors and pray here, and also feed our families as fishermen through the power of our oceans,” he said.
The founding director and strategic lead of Green Connection, environmentalist Liz McDaid, said it was motivating to see so many people stand together to defend their oceans.
“Climate change is real, and we need a healthy ocean to withstand it,” she said.
“To restore our planet we need to restore climate change.”
It was up to the residents to save the ocean and organisms living in it.
“No government or outside force will rescue us,” she said.
“It is up to us if we want to resist the oil and gas drilling.”
HeraldLIVE
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