On Monday, fishers and environmental activists picketed outside the Cape High Court on the first day of a case against the government granting environmental authorisation for seismic surveys off the West Coast. Photo: Liezl Human.
Small-scale fishing cooperatives and environmental organisations are seeking to overturn government approval granted to TGS Geophysical Company for a 3D seismic survey off South Africa’s West Coast.
The applicants argue that key environmental assessments were missing or inadequately considered, and that the potential cumulative impacts on marine life and fishing livelihoods were not properly evaluated.
Government respondents argue that seismic surveying is a longstanding, regulated, non-invasive activity that does not involve drilling and was approved following a comprehensive assessment process.
West Coast small-scale fishers and…
Read More: Small-scale fishers in court to stop West Coast seismic surveys.
The
Marikana Massacre in 2012 highlighted the struggles of mine workers and sparked national protests
for labor rights.

Midnight Bat
Fun South African Fact: Can you think of any other place in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners lived on the same street? Both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu had houses on Vilakazi Street in Soweto.
Killer Grenade
Nauru: You have two cows. They probably weigh less than you.