Stopping Shell Oil on South Africa’s Wild Coast

Nonhle Mbuthuma, a South African activist, has led her community in successfully challenging major mining and oil projects on their lands, despite ongoing personal threats.

Yale Environment 360 reports.

In short:

• Mbuthuma’s Amadiba Crisis Committee has been instrumental in halting a titanium mine and a proposed seismic survey by Shell Oil on South Africa’s Wild Coast.
• The high court ruled that the government’s permit for Shell's seismic blasting was issued unlawfully, citing a lack of community consultation and consideration for local livelihoods.
• Mbuthuma and her community continue to fight against plans for a coastal highway, which they see as a gateway for mining and disruptive tourism.

Key quote:

“Shell is a big company with a lot of money, but we said that they are not bigger than our livelihoods and culture.”

— Nonhle Mbuthuma, Founder of the Amadiba Crisis Committee

Why this matters:

The fight against harmful development along the Wild Coast is emblematic of the broader struggle for environmental justice, where indigenous communities stand at the forefront of protecting biodiversity, cultural heritage, and their way of life. Read more: Climate colonialism at COP26.