Eco Atlantic Oil and Gas CEO Gil Holzman warns that court litigation over environmental concerns and insufficient public consultation is slowing South Africa’s oil and gas exploration, especially in the Orange Basin. While speaking at the 2025 African Energy Week in Cape Town, he urged urgent, active government involvement to break this deadlock.
At least 75% of the Orange Basin lies in South Africa, and the rest in Namibia. However, Namibia is largely taking off in its oil drilling, while South Africa remains stagnant despite international investment and the involvement of companies like Shell and Total Energies.
Sovereign right
Holzman pressed for government-led legislative action to protect investment and accelerate exploration, central to breaking the current stagnation.
"Some foreign-funded NGOs actually dictate the pace of how this country grows. It cannot continue like that," he said.
"And the industry, together with institutions (and) government, needs to come up with a plan to enable South Africa to enjoy its sovereign right to exploit its natural resources."
Angela van der Berg 10 Sep 2025 Much of the delay has been brought about by environmental organisations that have expressed concern regarding a lack of public consultation with communities in the Northern Cape. They’ve also raised the potential impact of seismic surveys on the marine environment.
Tseliso Maqubela, the deputy director-general of mineral and petroleum regulation at the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, said that the government has fallen short in the consultation process.
"As much as consultation is taking place, we've been found wanting on technical grounds. And it's that that we need to confront."
To remedy this shortfall, he posits collaboration.
"I think we need to sit together with the investors and oil companies and, say, how do we approach this?"
People first
While Holzman, Maqubela and others were discussing ways to increase investment in oil and gas in South Africa, inside the Cape Town International Convention Centre, outside, NGOs were raising their voices against it.
Several civil society organisations, including The Green Connection, African Climate Alliance, Extinction Rebellion Cape Town, Project 90 by 2030, SAFCEI, and the Climate Justice Coalition, gathered outside the venue to express their opposition to the development of fossil fuels in South Africa.
They're calling governments to invest in solutions like community-owned solar and wind, resilient food systems, and a just and inclusive transition that "protects workers and puts people first".
The Green Connection’s advocacy officer, Lisa Makaula, said, "Climate change is impacting marginalised communities, and without a just energy transition away from fossil fuels, negative impacts could worsen.
Kimberly Mutandiro 20 Aug 2025 "Development must be centred around people and take into account socio-economic development and environmental sustainability.
"Oil and gas exploration could threaten the livelihoods of coastal communities that depend on fishing to survive."
Holzman concluded that unified collaboration among communities, government, regulators, industry, and NGOs is critical for overcoming the deadlock confronting South African oil and gas investment.
"We need to work together, to educate, to communicate, and to come up with a solution that will be accepted by all, and I think we can do it."
