Environmental groups disappointed after losing court application against Wild Coast blasting
Environmental organisations say they are disappointed the Eastern Cape High Court has given Shell the go-ahead for its seismic survey on the Wild Coast.
Several organisations had filed an application for an urgent interdict against the petroleum company to prevent it from starting with its activity.
But the application was dismissed on Friday morning.
Judge Avinash Govindjee concluded the applicants had failed to convince him that there was a reasonable apprehension of irreparable harm to the marine environment if the interdict was not granted.
"The decision to allow Shell to continue with its plans to destroy the Wild Coast is very disappointing," says Happy Khambule, who is a Campaign Manager for Greenpeace Africa.
"Not only will the blasting destroy precious biodiverse ecosystems, but it will also destroy the livelihoods of local communities, all in the name of profit.
"We will continue to support the nation-wide resistance against Shell and pursue the legal avenue to stop Shell. We must do everything we can to undo the destructive colonial legacy of extractivism, until we live in a world where people and the planet come before the profits of toxic fossil fuel companies."
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