The Cape Floral Region has been recognised as one of the most special places for plants in the world, and for good reason, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Robyn Simpson. It is celebrated as one of the planet’s hotspots for its diversity of endemic and threatened plants, and contains outstanding examples of significant ongoing ecological, biological and evolutionary processes.
This extraordinary assemblage of plant life and its associated fauna is represented by a series of 13 protected area clusters covering an area of more than 1-million hectares. These protected areas also conserve the outstanding ecological, biological and evolutionary processes associated with the beautiful and distinctive Fynbos vegetation, unique to the Cape Floral Region.
UNESCO deemed the Cape Floristic Region Protected Areas as World Heritage Sites, including the Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve and the Namaqua National Park.
Where land and sea collide:
Cold, nutrient rich waters upwelling along the West Coast fuel impressive rates of phytoplankton growth that sustain the highly productive Benguela ecosystem: one of five wind-driven coastal upwelling systems in the global oceans. It is an important centre of marine biodiversity and is one of the most productive ocean areas in the world, supporting rich fish stocks of sardines, anchovies, and horse mackerel to name a few.
These interconnected ecosystems are a haven for marine life such as whales, dolphins, seals, fish, birds, land mammals, reptiles, plants and unique insect and invertebrate habitats.
And still, from the Orange River to Cape Columbine, hundreds of kilometres of the South Africa’s West Coast coastline are being mined, or have been earmarked for mining for diamonds, oil, gas and valuable heavy mineral deposits.
“These industrial-scale extractions have lasting consequences for local communities, fisheries and the natural environment, for generations to come,” says Protect the West Coast (PTWC). PTWC is a non-profit company founded by South African big-wave surfer Mike Schlebach.
The company is focusing on the proposed building of a R40-billion port by the government for mining exports at Boegoe Bay in Port Nolloth and Australian-owned Mineral Sands Resources, which currently holds rights to mine valuable heavy minerals on the coast near the town of Lutzville, as per Daily Maverick. These are just two of a long list of projects.
The destruction along these hotspots stirred up attention in June this year after PTWC released a video highlighting the damage being done by mining projects. Locals took to the beaches to protest and outcries on social media took off.
Read also: WATCH: protestors release video footage of West Coast beach mining
Along with the Cape community, our oceans are crying out. A current example is that of the mass seal deaths plaguing the West Coast. Suspicions of Avian Flu behind the fatalities were shattered with the current state of our sea life: Cape fur seals are starving to death.
Read also: The devastating cause behind mass seal deaths revealed
Regardless, the work has continued and is continuing.
In an attempt to save our pristine coastline, PTWC has released a second video to show and tell the world exactly what is happening.
“The reality is that this area is under siege by a strew of multinational mining companies that seem to have the unequivocal backing of the SA Government. These companies have been allowed to run amok along this coastline unchallenged, primarily because it is mostly uninhabited and there are few locals to push back,” says the group.
The video, which focuses on the effects these projects have on locals, challenges this entirely and gives a voice to the minority.
“If things carry on without proper engagement and oversight by the people of South Africa, then the West Coast will become one big mine dump and we cannot let that happen for the sake of ourselves and future generations.”
WATCH: Ours Not Mine (trailer).
*Directed by Bryan Little and Produced by Ana-Filipa Domingues, the film’s purpose is to shed light on the destructive mining practices and its impact on local communities and the environment.
The full version of the film will be showcased on Saturday, November 20 at 7pm at the Jack Black Taproom, Cape Town.
Despite the creation of short-term jobs, mining adversely affects ecosystems and has a detrimental knock-on effect on the broader West Coast environment, economy and society.
The risks associated with the projected mining activities are as follows:
- Disturbance and destruction of marine life on mined beaches.
- Destabilisation of fisheries and fishing communities.
- Impacts on already scarce water resources.
- Air pollution.
- Increased roads and traffic footprint.
- Visual impacts on local population and tourism.
- Loss of access to beaches and coastline for recreational activities such as surfing and fishing
- Damage to the fragile dune system, which has evolved over millions of years as part of the natural interface between land and sea.
- Alteration of the natural beach profile, and its dynamic equilibrium with the wave energy.
- Knock-on impacts on land-based ecosystems.
- Loss of archaeological resources and fossils.
- Loss of indigenous heritage sites.
The team at Protect the West Coast have worked tirelessly to expose the ‘behind the scenes’ of what might be South Africa’s most terrifying horror reality. And those who oppose the gutting of the coast, have every right to do so.
Section 24 of the constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, states:
Everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that prevent pollution and ecological degradation; promote conservation, and secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.
What you can do:
1. Donate
Donations allow PTWC to support community initiatives that actively work towards protecting South Africa’s West Coast from mining activities. Click HERE to donate.
2. Volunteer
Some things you can offer to do include hosting a community conversation, collecting signatures, raise funds, start a local group. Click HERE to complete a volunteer survey.
3. Get Social
Tell your friends and family about what’s at stake. Share this post, the video, and follow PTWC and their partners on social media.
This is a developing story.
Read also:
Shell allegedly set to blast Wild Coast oceans for oil and gas
Picture: Ours Not Mine Screenshot
