DURBAN - The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) has alleged that oil companies seismic sound waves were severely impacting oceans and marine living fossils.
The alliance said these seismic sound waves were caused by these companies who were drilling offshore.
The SDCEA held a peaceful protest calling on Sasol to move away from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
The protest action took place in Richards Bay, Umkomaas, South Coast and Isipingo on Thursday.
Desmond D’Sa, co-ordinator of the environmental justice organisation, said the offshore drilling by oil companies were causing devastation to beaches.
“Tourism is the biggest job creator in this country and people come from all over the world to our beautiful beaches. About 25 000 people are fishing off the sea and their livelihoods depend on that. These oil companies must move away from oil and gas to cleaner energy,” he said.
He said they had taken a review decision about Sasol to the Gauteng High Court.
Subsistence Fishing Forum secretary, John Peter, said they had found that the fish were being disturbed, which caused them to migrate.
Peter said the forum had seen recently that dolphins were being killed.
“The impact that it has on marine life affects the livelihoods of our poor, destitute fisher folk. We want the government to realise that the ocean belongs to everybody. Every individual in this country,” he said.
Shanice Firmin, project officer for Development Infrastructure and Climate Change, said the protest was to highlight their concerns about Sasol’s activities.
Firmin said they heard the Sasol annual general meeting was taking place yesterday.
“We as communities are reeling on the ground just to highlight our concerns that we have just come out of COP26. We have world leaders coming around to discuss around the table and address the climate crisis. We are in a climate emergency because people’s lives on the ground have been impacted.”
She said there was a need for an immediate shift to renewable energy where people benefited.
“We are still held to the fossil fuel road. The government should make a huge shift that starts putting people in the centre of every development that is taking place on climate.”
Sasol had not responded to a request for comment by time of publication.
Daily News