INTO OKUMELE UYAZI

A community guide published by Natural Justice in March 2025 regarding proposed oil and gas survey activities in Blocks 9 and 11B/12B of the Outeniqua Basin, off the southern coast of South Africa. The document outlines the scope of the surveys, potential environmental and socio-economic impacts, and the process for public participation in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.

• Main Street 1549 (Pty) Ltd is proposing survey activities in License Blocks 9 and 11B/12B, located off the southern coast of South Africa in the Outeniqua Basin. The survey area covers 8,620 km2 of ocean, starting 65 km from the coast, with water depths ranging from 100m to 2,200m.
• The proposed survey activities include bathymetry and sonar mapping to identify seabed features, the collection of seabed samples, the use of Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for imagery, baseline environmental surveys of water and marine life, and metocean surveys to measure weather and sea conditions.
• The project establishes a 500-metre exclusion zone around the survey vessel, which prohibits the use of other ships, including fishing boats, to prevent interference with the research.
• Potential negative impacts include disruption to marine life—specifically fish, cetaceans (such as dolphins and whales), and seabirds—and interference with local livelihoods including commercial and subsistence fishing, tourism, and cargo shipping in the Garden Route area.
• The surveys may cause underwater noise pollution, water pollution from the discharge of grey water, treated bilge water, and engine water, and contribute to climate change through the emission of greenhouse gases like sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide from vessels.
• The project may impact the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of local communities, specifically regarding 'living waters' which are believed to play a role in spiritual health and governance for indigenous groups.
• The public is invited to submit comments on the Draft Scoping Report by 3 March 2025. The process is managed by SLR Consulting (South Africa), and the final decision on Environmental Authorisation will be made by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) following a recommendation from the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA).

APA

Natural Justice (2025). INTO OKUMELE UYAZI. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Xhosa_MainStreet-Blocks911B12_community-pamphlet-FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. INTO OKUMELE UYAZI. 2025. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Xhosa_MainStreet-Blocks911B12_community-pamphlet-FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=INTO OKUMELE UYAZI |date=March 2025 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Xhosa_MainStreet-Blocks911B12_community-pamphlet-FINAL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2025into, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{INTO OKUMELE UYAZI}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Xhosa_MainStreet-Blocks911B12_community-pamphlet-FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }