Search Climate Insights Directory

The document argues that hydraulic fracturing in South Africa's Karoo Basin is likely to induce seismicity and that current proposed regulations are insufficient. It recommends the implementation of a risk-based Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) and a transparent, multi-tiered earthquake monitoring system to mitigate risks of building damage and public harm.

The document describes a legal case where the Thabantsho Beneficiaries Association (TBA) successfully sued the Bakgaga Ba-Kopa Traditional Authority and trustees of the Bakgaga Ba-Kopa Motheo Trust. The dispute centered on the administration of trust monies, specifically monthly rentals of approximately R116,000 paid by Blue Ridge Platinum (Pty) Ltd for mining operations on community land. The court ordered the respondents to submit all trust records to the Master of the North Gauteng High Court and prohibited the use of trust funds until an audit was completed.

The AmaDiba Crisis Committee (ACC) successfully appealed a mining right granted to Transworld Energy and Minerals Resources (TEM) for titanium-bearing minerals in the Xolobeni area. While the Minister of Mineral Resources withdrew the right on 6 June 2011 due to outstanding environmental issues, the decision is considered interim as TEM may still address these concerns. The ACC's appeal highlighted several critical failures, including the location of the project within a Marine Protected Area, the lack of a community resolution, and a flawed public consultation process. The three-year delay in the Minister's decision caused significant prejudice to the community, hindering an existing eco-tourism project and creating internal social conflict.