GOOD Statement by Kaden Arguile,
GOOD National Youth Organiser
25 March 2026
The decision made by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) and the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) to allow Total Energies to explore offshore drilling along the West Coast is a ticking time bomb for not only our already fragile environment but also the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen.
While the government has marketed itself in its statements as supportive of the green energy transition (alongside taking billions in JETP loans to achieve a greener South Africa), its actions are contradictory. The drilling of ten wells off the West Coast, between Port Nolloth and Saldanha Bay, is purely exploratory. While the economic benefits remain unknown, the environmental impact of such drilling is evident. Environmental impacts include ambient air quality, marine ecology, biodiversity, and soil and groundwater contamination.
GOOD fully supports the case brought forward by the Aukotowa small-scale fishing cooperative from Port Nolloth, The Green Connection and Natural Justice to the Western Cape High Court. It is undeniable that the communities most impacted by these wells were not given a seat at the table. In the worst-case scenario, an oil spill would destroy the livelihoods of these fishermen, and in the best-case scenario (successful drilling), the environmental impact could lead to long-term degradation not only of the environment but also of the number of fish that would be allowed under new regulations.
South Africa has already been impacted by oil spills in the area in the past, and the means by which we could safeguard our environment (coastguard capacity and naval vessels) are not only severely underfunded but also understaffed. The local fishing community has already reported a decline in fish stock as well as a change in migratory habits. If these wells are approved, it would mean dooming already struggling communities to an experimental endeavour.
Our country has made serious commitments to both the international community and its environmentally conscious citizens regarding the transition away from fossil fuels. The creation of offshore wells is a deliberate choice to disregard these pledges in favour of potential enrichment, a pursuit that offers little benefit to the local communities beside which these projects are situated.
As a country, we must divert our philosophy from short-term enrichment to an understanding that our resources are finite. Jeopardising our oceans for the sake of an experiment is a cost we simply cannot afford to pay.
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