Today is Day 3 of the National Nuclear Regulator’s (NNR) public hearings regarding Eskom’s application for a Nuclear Installation Site Licence (NISL) at Thyspunt in Eastern Cape (starting at 1pm), and a number of community and environmental justice stakeholders are gearing up to make their presentations to the Regulator, this afternoon.
Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) – the non-profit organisations instrumental in stopping then President Jacob Zuma’s illegal R1-trillion nuclear deal with Russia – are joined by various community-based organisations and small-scale fishers from Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Gqeberha. These include: Thyspunt Alliance/ WESSA, Eastern Cape Environmental Network (ECEN), Kromme-Enviro Trust, St Francis, Sea Vista Drum Academy, St Francis Bay Ratepayers Association, Rebelsrus Private Game Reserve / Thula Moya Nature Reserve, Touwsberg Nature Reserve, and the Climate Justice Action Group (CJAG).
Some of the key issues raised by communities has been the lack of meaningful participation, which should inform a better understanding of the potential impacts of installing a new nuclear power station in the region. The lack of adequate safety planning, in the event of an accident, was also highlighted as a key concern.
Zukisa Mankabane from the Eastern Cape Environmental Network (ECEN) in Gqeberha says that Section 24 of the Constitution is there to protect the people from environmental harm. “The people need development that considers the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources. The impact assessment is not clear about the potential harm (to people or the environment) that may result from this project.”
“And these public participation processes have been far from adequate. Even during this time of Covid and its restrictions, the EIA processes have been going ahead. Several affected people do not have access to participate and in many cases people do not know what is being (or has already been) planned.
Barend Fredericks from Knysna says, “Local small-scale fishing communities, who depend on the ocean for their livelihoods, are concerned about the prospect of having a nuclear power plant at Thyspunt. Already electricity is too expensive for the average South African. Not only is it a costly exercise (and a waste of money), but it will not bring us jobs. There is no work for uneducated people. That is why we need the ocean. To survive.”
A fisherwoman from Knysna says she is concerned about the impacts a nuclear plant at Thyspunt might have on the ocean and local marine life. She says, “Many women here rely on the ocean to take care of their families. We therefore do not support anything that puts the ocean at risks. We rather want government to invest in renewable energy sources, like wind and solar.”
One Plettenberg Bay youth says that since he is unemployed and struggling to find work, he relies on the ocean for food and an income. Why choose energy sources that could put our natural resources at risk? We want the government to choose better. We want renewable energy projects, implemented at community level so that it works for the people. This would be much better.
