Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a technique used to extract oil and natural gas from deep underground rock formations like shale by injecting a high-pressure mixture of water, sand, and chemicals. The fluid creates fractures in the rock, allowing the trapped fossil fuels to flow and be pumped to the surface. The process is controversial due to environmental concerns, such as potential groundwater contamination, water consumption, and the disposal of waste fluids.

According to the department's budget address in July, as part of the first phase, government teams have been collecting data on geological formations, hydrology, and environmental baselines, while also noting early signs of petroleum presence, including the detection of oil micro-seepage in certain areas of the basin.

Phase 2 of the project will intensify technical operations. It will include the acquisition of high-resolution geophysical data through 2D seismic surveys, airborne magnetic and radiometric mapping, and magneto-telluric measurements. These advanced techniques are expected to enable more accurate mapping of underground structures and help identify areas of potential environmental vulnerability.

The survey covers at least six districts across the Northern, Eastern, and Western Cape provinces, encompassing a mix of state-owned land, private farmland, communal land, and property under tribal authority. Officials say this geographic diversity brings both environmental and social considerations to the fore of the project's planning and implementation.

The move has reignited long-standing opposition from environmental and community advocacy groups. The Climate Justice Coalition's Energy and Mining Working Group and Legal Working Group have condemned recent remarks by Minerals and Petroleum Minister, Gwede Mantashe

"Fresh air is not a luxury," the coalition said in a statement. "By continuously pitting people and the environment against the economy, the minister ignores the fact that there can be no economy or future without clean air, safe water, and a liveable climate."

The coalition further accused Mantashe of violating the Constitution of South Africa, which guarantees citizens the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being.

As the DMRE prepares to advance into Phase 2 of its survey, tensions between the government's resource development agenda and growing climate concerns appear set to intensify.

Mantashe moves to next phase Karoo Basin petroleum survey sparking renewed fracking pushback - Green Building Africa