Dear Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy,

WWF understands that there was some public consultation around this bill in November, which we somehow were not notified of despite having made submissions to the DMRE previously. We further understand that the portfolio committee has undertaken to pursue further public consultation on this matter in 2023.

As a concerned nationwide non-governmental organisation with a mandate to engage with environment, development and energy issues, WWF would like to ask that we are extended an opportunity to address the Portfolio Committee on this Bill during the extended stakeholder consultation. Given the discovery of potential gas resources on land in multiple provinces, and with indications that more discoveries may be forthcoming, we would further recommend that local public consultations not be limited to coastal provinces, but rather to all potentially impacted provinces.

We are happy to share our written recommendations with the Portfolio Committee, and hope that there will be an opportunity to do so. WWF has serious concerns that the development of this bill will undermine key developmental objectives, and place South Africa on the back foot in terms of addressing both our national energy needs, and access for our products on international markets. This is quite apart from the obvious environmental and climate impacts of continued fossil fuel expansion.

Kind regards,
James Reeler
Senior Climate Specialist
WWF South Africa.