Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

South Africa needs to halt its irresponsible fracking rush

Environmental authorisation was granted to Rhino Oil and Gas Exploration South Africa (Pty) Ltd by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy on 31 July 2023. The authorisation allows the company to proceed with drilling up to 40 exploration wells in the Free State province across an area of around 753 797 hectare. The authorised exploration area consists predominantly of private land and farms in and around the towns of Bothaville, Viljoenskroon, Kroonstad, Odendaalsrus, Welkom, Wolmaransstad, Bultfontein, Wesselsbron, Koppies and Heilbron.

The company will explore the region for helium, hydrogen and hydrocarbons (oil and gas).

Responding to the recent developments, Lambert de Klerk, manager of Environmental Affairs at AfriForum, stated: “Rhino has stated that it will not make use of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) during the exploration phase. However, once commercially viable reserves are established, well stimulation will likely be required and include fracking. This is of great concern to us.”

Jonathan Deal from Treasure Karoo Action Group (TKAG) agreed, adding: “Since the Department of Water and Sanitation’s proposed regulations for hydraulic fracturing and related activities which pose a threat to groundwater resources are still in draft format, the critical baseline groundwater studies needed prior to drilling activities will very likely not take place. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s rush to allow shale gas exploration under these circumstances while the required legislative and regulatory framework is still in draft format and currently has many serious gaps, means that the environment and human health is being risked through this irresponsible rush to start fracking in South Africa.”

“Conducting environmental baseline studies, including groundwater baseline studies, are critical to prove or disprove groundwater contamination as a result of drilling activities. This was also highlighted in the Strategic Environmental Assessment conducted by several government entities and research institutions. This is very serious, because once the first fracking dominoes start falling, it will become increasingly difficult to halt the process,” concludes Deal.

De Klerk continued: “Apart from supporting organisations such as ourselves, AfriForum urges the South African public to urgently consider the fundamental threat that this authorisation is posing to our Constitutional environmental right and to submit their appeals to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment before 27 August 2023. Affected landowners should obtain legal advice and contact their relevant agricultural organisations for support and guidance.”