South Africa: Shell falls foul of indigenous rights in Wild Coast exploration

That’s just not good enough, especially if the communities don’t speak your choice of languages, according to an interim judgement from a South African court.

Royal Dutch Shell was told on 28 December by the Grahamstown High Court in Makhanda to immediately cease its seismic blasting along South Africa’s Wild Coast to protect the rights of local communities. Judge Gerald Bloem said that Shell was under a duty to meaningfully consult with the communities and individuals who would be affected by the seismic survey. Shell has failed to do so in the case of communities who hold customary rights, including fishing rights, the judge said.

Applicants including Mashona Dlamini, acting on behalf of traditional healers and the local indigenous Umgungundlovu community, argued that they were not consulted on Shell’s plans. The company told the court that no-one was precluded from registering as an