Fracking for shale gas in South Africa: blessing or curse?

This research paper examines the potential economic and environmental implications of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for shale gas in South Africa, presenting three distinct scenarios to evaluate the trade-offs between economic growth and ecological preservation.

• South Africa is positioned to explore what experts consider the eighth largest shale gas reserve globally, which could serve as a significant alternative for a country currently almost entirely dependent on coal production.
• The 'Shale Boom' scenario suggests that while shale gas development could increase economic growth, reduce poverty, and increase funding for health, education, and infrastructure, it carries severe environmental risks including habitat destruction, increased seismic activity, water contamination, and a lack of long-term carbon emission reductions.
• The 'Blue Bridge' scenario proposes a model where a small tax on fracking is invested into renewable energy infrastructure. This approach aims to drive economic growth and poverty reduction while transitioning the country toward a renewable energy-based economy, resulting in lower shale production and reduced carbon emissions compared to the 'Shale Boom' scenario.
• The 'Base Case' scenario prioritizes the preservation of natural resources and water in the Karoo by maintaining a fracking-free status quo, though this path offers the lowest potential for national economic growth.

APA

Hedden, S., Moyer, J. D., & Rettig, J. (n.d.). Fracking for shale gas in South Africa: blessing or curse? Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/fracking-for-shale-gas-in-south-africa-blessing-or-curse

Chicago

Hedden, Steve, Jonathan D. Moyer, and Jessica Rettig. Fracking for shale gas in South Africa: blessing or curse? Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/fracking-for-shale-gas-in-south-africa-blessing-or-curse.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hedden |first1=Steve |last2=Moyer |first2=Jonathan D. |last3=Rettig |first3=Jessica |title=Fracking for shale gas in South Africa: blessing or curse? |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/papers/fracking-for-shale-gas-in-south-africa-blessing-or-curse |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{heddenndfracking, author = {Hedden, Steve and Moyer, Jonathan D. and Rettig, Jessica}, title = {{Fracking for shale gas in South Africa: blessing or curse?}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/papers/fracking-for-shale-gas-in-south-africa-blessing-or-curse}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }