Government has said that shale gas could be the answer to the country's energy challenges as coal-fired power stations are battling to meet the rising demand for electricity. Industry and environmental analysts have opposed the process of fracking, arguing it has the potential to poison the Karoo's underground water supply. Fracking involves digging wells up to 4km, before pumping in water and chemicals to crack the shale rock and release the gas. In 2012 the government lifted an 18-month moratorium on hydraulic fracturing to weigh the environmental and economic implications of the process. Shell has shown interest in the exploration and has expressed concern at the lack of progress in the project. It said it planned to spend $200-million for the first exploration phase of six wells if granted a licence to drill.
To help us unpack and discuss this further we are joined on the line by:
1. Godfrey Oliphant Deputy Minister Department of Mineral Resources
2. Julius Kleynhans Portfolio Director: Water and Environment Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA)
