Our oceans are under siege
Offshore oil drilling to produce petroleum will unleash a mess of toxic substances including mercury, lead, arsenic and barium.
Concerned South Coast residents turned up in their numbers at the Ramsgate Lions Club recently for talks by experts and environmental activists of South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) on the devastating effects of oil and gas exploration along our coastline.
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SDCEA is a non-governmental organisation with a coalition of 16 community and environmental organisations concerned with environmental justice and sustainable development in Durban south and eThekwini (the broader Durban municipal area).
Desmond D’Sa, SDCEA office coordinator, told the Herald that offshore oil drilling to produce petroleum will unleash a mess of toxic substances including mercury, lead, arsenic and barium. “These toxins are devastating to the health of fish, wildlife and the people who live and feed off the coast. Major oil corporations and oil cartels, responsible for offshore drilling, will erode the tourist industry on the entire KZN coastline, the coast of the Eastern Cape and some parts of the Western Cape coastline, as seismic testing has been earmarked to take place from Richards Bay to Mossel Bay,” he said.
Mr D’Sa noted that the seismic tests and drilling will only be 50km off the coast, and the necessary vehicles, power poles, noise compressors and other unsightly infrastructures that drilling operations require will detract from the country’s natural beauty.
“Not to mention the risk of oil spills that will impact the tourism industry immensely. Even before the drilling begins, there is a great risk to the marine environment. Current technology uses seismic pulses to test for oil below the seabed, harming animal populations. To carry out such surveys, ships tow multiple air gun arrays that emit thousands of high-decibel explosive impulses to map the seafloor.”
The auditory assault from seismic surveys has been found to damage or kill fish eggs and larvae and to impair the hearing and health of fish, making them vulnerable to predators and leaving them unable to locate prey or mates or communicate with each other.
Sherelee Odayar, SDCEA oil, gas and energy project officer, said our oceans are under siege.
“Offshore oil and gas exploration will destroy our coast’s rich marine life and negatively affect the lives of the people who depend on the ocean for an income,” she said.
“SDCEA has been fighting this offshore oil and gas exploration for several years. The government either does not understand or is turning a blind eye to the seriousness of the matter and once again, the people’s cries have not been heard. Our ocean is a source of life, and we cannot allow big corporations to invade it and destroy everything. Our organisation will continue to fight to have a say in what goes into our oceans.”
Mr D’Sa said it’s now or never to act against those responsible for global warming. “Nobody will be spared, and that’s why it’s up to us to rally our citizens and put our beautiful planet first,” he concluded.
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