Andy Gubb and Junaid Francis, project managers for Promoting Participation, ran an Environmental Rights Workshop aimed at communities that were not involved in the recent meetings convened by Shell and Golder Associates.

The workshop dealt with the gas exploration applications submitted by Shell, Bundu and Falcon as well as  explaining the fracking technique used to explore for and maybe extract natural gas from deep under the Karoo landscape.

Gubb explained that after research into attendance at the Shell meetings CER had discovered gaps in the participation process and that many people were totally unaware of the fracking applications and the details regarding public involvement.
"Communities are stronger ;than individuals when asking questions and actively participating in the process," ; said Gubb.

Communities are looking for answers about such issues as water safety, possible employment and the potential of damage to agriculture which forms 50% of the Karoo economy. At each step of the way Gubb and Francis stressed that they are not here to make a decision for the communities concerned but to inform the members of affected communities of the fracking facts.
One of the main concerns that people in the Karoo have raised about the fracking is the quantities of water required for drilling, possibly 80 million litres per well, and Gubb stressed that according to our constitution no industry can use water that is meant for people.

Francis said that CER are planning to return in September to follow up and work with the communities in their possible engagement and negotiation with Shell and other companies involved.

With unemployment high in the Karoo the potential for jobs is a main attraction but it could be a high a price to pay if the groundwater is contaminated. "Making an informed decision means knowing about the fracking process, the potential damage as well as plans by Shell to rehabilitate the areas that are destroyed by fracking," said Gubb.
The jobs and development with many people flocking to Graaff-Reinet looking for work and the increase in cash flow could bring an increase in crime.

One of the representatives attending the workshop stated that she felt any jobs were valuable even for a short time if people can feed their children and pay school fees.

The issues around fracking and the advantages and disadvantages are a bone of contention across the Karoo with different communities having different priorities and this workshop will go a long way in empowering people and making them aware of the importance of the decision about whether to frack or not.