SA clams up on its hunt for oil in world's largest animal migration corridor
The South African government petroleum agency has refused to provide details of its controversial oil and gas exploration project slap-bang in the middle of the world's largest animal migration path.
Millions of antelope migrate through the wetlands and grasslands of South Sudan every year in a global wildlife spectacle that outshines the more famous wildebeest and zebra migration of East Africa.
Whereas the Serengeti-Mara migration in Tanzania and Kenya involves around 1.3 million wildebeest and several hundred thousand zebra and gazelles, the annual Great Nile migration in South Sudan boasts between five and seven million antelope species, including kob, tiang, gazelle and reedbuck.
It is the 'largest known land mammal migration on Earth' according to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), a United Nations conservation treaty to safeguard the world's fast diminishing migratory species.
And yet it is here — in the very heartland of this spectacular animal migration route and Africa's largest wetland (the Sudd) — that the South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) is hoping to strike oil and to also support the development of new petroleum refineries and export pipelines at a potential cost of up to $1-billion (more than R18-billion).
Project maps depict a three-phase exploration process that could lead to production wells, pipelines, refineries and other infrastructure located within the Badingilo National Park and large areas of riverine and grassland habitat used by animals circuiting between the Boma, Shambe and Gambella national parks.
Last year, contractors were also invited to bid on redrilling an old oil exploration well in the Jonglei region. It was abandoned in 2007 after the drilling equipment got stuck 2,200m underground at Kedelai, in the environmentally-sensitive floodplain of the White Nile River.
The more recent exploration project is part of an agreement between the South Sudan government's Nile Petroleum company and South Africa's Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF) — now part of the newly established SANPC.
Various feasibility studies and exploration projects have been rumbling on behind the scenes since former energy minister Jeff Radebe announced in 2019 that South Africa and South Sudan had signed an exploration and production sharing agreement and were engaged in talks to set up a 60,000 barrel per day refinery to supply oil products to the local market in South Sudan, as well as to secure exports to Ethiopia and other neighbouring countries.
A government media release at the time stated that the SA Department of Energy had ' pledged to invest $1-billion into South Sudan's petroleum industry, with the aim of securing affordable energy supplies for South Africa'.
That announcement came shortly before High Court Judge Owen Rogers found that attorney and former acting SSF chief executive Sibusiso Gamede had been paid more than R2,6-million in bribes by companies in Dubai and elsewhere for his role in facilitating the sell-off of South Africa's strategic stock of 10 million barrels of crude oil early in 2016.
Radebe attempted to backpedal swiftly on the potentially massive costs of the South Sudan venture after the Sunday Times published a news article in March 2019 under the headline: 'Jeff Radebe's dodgy $1bn oil deal'.
In response, Radebe issued a detailed statement in which he said: 'The stated $1-billion is the estimated cost of the full project including the oil block, pipeline and refinery, which will be spread over a period of 10 years. A project of this magnitude passes through various phases of approval and execution.'
Recalling the ANC's historic relationship with the Sudanese People's Liberation Army in fighting for their respective political liberations, Radebe said that the $1-billion was just 'an indicative figure at this stage.
'As with similar projects of this nature, upon completing the feasibility study, the project has a potential to attract other strategic partners and/or investors, which may include South Sudanese and South African companies.'
Read Radebe's full response to that article here.
Daily Maverick has requested details of the state entity's total expenditure in the South Sudan exploration venture over the last six years, but SANPC spokesperson Jacky Mashapu did not provide any figures.
Daily Maverick also requested copies of any environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) reports on the exploration project, at least one of which was commissioned by the SFF, but Mashapu asserted that these reports were 'confidential'.
And the SFF declined to provide any details of a recent agreement it signed with the British-based Wildcat Petroleum group (which published a statement though the London Stock Exchange on 20 March confirming that it had signed a collaboration agreement with the SFF to 'evaluate' the South Sudan petroleum assets recently relinquished by the Malaysian multinational oil and gas company Petronas).
In a brief statement in August 2024, Petronas attributed its decision to bail out of South Sudan to long-term investment strategies 'amid the changing industry environment and accelerated energy transition'.
But Wildcat chairperson Mandhir Singh hailed the new deal with South Africa as 'excellent news for Wildcat in its endeavours to secure a deal in South Sudan.
'A tie-up with the SFF can only enhance Wildcat opportunities as the SFF is one of only a handful of companies that has successfully signed a petroleum deal in South Sudan since the country gained independence. They have a well-established technical team in Juba which can assist Wildcat in any technical work it needs to conduct.'
However, Mashapu said the Wildcat deal was subject to a non-disclosure agreement and 'as a result, we cannot disclosure [sic] anything for now.'
Regarding our request for a copy of the environmental and social impact report, Mashapu stated: 'The report is confidential and as it is yet not published by the Ministry of Petroleum (MOP), South Sudan, on their website, hence the content cannot be provided for any publication and use.
'The study and analysis of samples (for the first phase of the exploration project) is completed and results were presented and approved by our partner, Nilepet. The communication is being sent to MOP South Sudan to provide us a time slot suitable so the team can present and submit the report to MOP for public consultation and approval.'
(South Sudan's petroleum minister, Puot Kang Chol, was arrested two months ago, while Vice-President Riek Machar was also placed under house arrest after being accused of plotting rebellion against long-time political rival President Salva Kiir.)
No details are available on who conducted the impact assessment study or how much it cost, though the South African taxpayer-funded SFF advertised the contract in October 2023, stating that tender documents could be downloaded from the National Treasury's e-Tender publication portal.
The Secretariat of the Bonn-based Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) confirmed that it had been unable to obtain a copy of the environmental impact study, while the South Sudan Wildlife Service head, General Khamis Adieng Ding, did not respond to requests for comment.
'We are aware that the ESIA study was conducted in May-July 2024, but unfortunately we have not seen it because the report has not been made public,' said a spokesperson for the CMS Secretariat.
The CMS Secretariat has raised several concerns about the South African/South Sudan exploration project, which covers a massive 47,000km2 area known as Block B2, north of the capital, Juba.
According to the CMS Secretariat, the Block B2 oil extraction plan 'poses a pressing concern' because it covers living spaces critical for both the kob and tiang migrations.
'Without careful and informed planning, the oil exploration set to begin in 2025 could seriously disrupt wildlife migration, increase human encroachment, and escalate illegal hunting. The rising incidence of illegal tiang harvesting along roads already shows how essential it is to plan infrastructure with wildlife protection in mind.
'Approximately five million kob and 400,000 tiang, alongside other hooved mammals also known as 'ungulates', undertake complex, long-distance journeys to access essential wet and dry-season habitats annually,' said the CMS, citing newly released migration maps developed by the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration.
Their routes take them between Badingilo and Boma National Parks in South Sudan. Some also migrate further north to Gambella National Park in Ethiopia, an important dry-season refuge, particularly for kob, from February to May.
In response to these concerns, the SANPC said: 'We, as a responsible operator, will take due care for any interference in migration of fauna and flora regarding its magnitude, timing, and preventative measures which are required to be taken to make minimum impact on their movement. The issue was well dealt [with] in the ESIA report, and mitigation plans are being proposed, which will be adhered to while operating in the area.'
According to a Unesco World Heritage Site nomination fact sheet, the Sudd has a very high carrying capacity for wild herbivores that depends on unconstrained foraging movement across an intact and functioning landscape.
As a result, the Sudd and adjoining wetlands and grasslands are still able to support two of the largest ungulate migrations in the world, covering an area seven times larger than Serengeti National Park.
But if South Africa strikes oil, that picture is almost certain to change. DM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
South Africans say YES to DStv sports packages
South Africans are fully supporting Multichoice's contemplation of offering a sports-only package for DStv subscribers. The satellite television company is also toying with the idea of unbundling SuperSport from its pay-TV platform. In recent months, the company has taken a massive knock in revenue loss after losing hundreds of thousands in subscriptions. According to social media users, this follows the company's tone-deaf approach to affordability, diversity, and demands. Earlier this month, Multichoice Group CEO Calvo Mawela stated that the company would investigate whether unbundling SuperSport from DStv and launching a sports-only package would be a feasible option for its business model. He said at the time: 'We've accelerated that project in terms of getting us to finalise which direction we're going to take in this financial year. But yes, we are considering all options as part of a broader product offering going forward'. The investigation will conclude at the end of the current financial year-end in March 2026. Broadcaster Gareth Cliff polled his followers to see if they would support the move to a sports-only tailored DStv package or simply a SuperSport option. An overwhelming 94% of voters responded positively. Here's what a few had to say… @renierferreira: 'PAY PER CHANNEL ONLY! People don't want DStv 'bundles'. I'll pay R99 pm just for SuperSport 1 on ONE device.' @WTFSA13: 'R350 for all sports channels, and I am in' @SwartNatalie: 'Yes, then we can actually afford to watch sport again!' Currently, the SuperSport group of channels is offered on DStv's Premium package – it's most expensive – which currently costs R949. For many sports enthusiasts, 'off season' means pausing their subscriptions or cancelling them altogether. In multiple financial reports, Multichoice has acknowledged that the rising cost of living meant that 'households are struggling to make ends meet and many had no choice but to give up their DStv subscription for the time being.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
7 hours ago
- The South African
City Power offers free electricity to these Johannesburg residents
City Power has urged low-income Johannesburg residents to sign up for its Free Basic Electricity (FBE) programme, which provides 50 kilowatts of electricity per month at no cost. The initiative forms part of efforts to reduce infrastructure damage and recover lost revenue caused by illegal electricity use. Spokesperson Isaac Mangena revealed that the free electricity programme aims to reconnect over 140 000 households who are not paying for electricity. 'Many of these customers are consuming electricity without paying, resulting in massive revenue losses for the utility and the increasing destruction of our infrastructure,' he said. Additionally, by targeting vulnerable groups and formalising their electricity use, the city hopes to clean up its billing system and improve compliance. City Power has also committed to replacing damaged or tampered meters without penalising qualifying residents. The free electricity programme is open to unemployed residents or those earning R7500 or less monthly. Applicants must also be South African citizens or permanent residents, legally occupy the property, and provide the necessary supporting documentation. 'The criteria also include being a South African citizen or permanent resident and being the legal occupants of the property in question,' Mangena explained. 'Supporting documentation such as a valid ID, proof of residence, COJ rates and taxes account, and income verification, such as a SASSA card or affidavit, will be required at registration.' The free electricity initiative is designed to support senior citizens, women and children, persons with disabilities, the unemployed, and child-headed households. City Power said that the programme reinforces the principle of electricity as a fundamental human right. 'The FBE programme is designed to cushion the most vulnerable and ensure access to electricity as a basic human right, while also helping to clean up the billing and compliance environment,' Mangena stated. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
9 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Tapestries weave aspects of SA life and a bank's history with wool into today's artistic landscape
The Standard Bank Art Lab is showing that when it comes to art, the bank is not a sheep but a shepherd. The merino sheep is possibly the most consequential animal to the South African banking sector. The Spanish breed was first donated by the Dutch in the late 1700s, and its value to the growing South African economy was felt by the 1860s. The Cape Colony used the sheep's high-quality wool to distinguish and expand its economy. The booming industry would facilitate the establishment of one of the leading financial institutions in South Africa – the Standard Bank Group. This is a peculiar fabric of the blue bank's history, but nevertheless a pivotal strand that it continues to weave into its identity. The latest iteration is the establishment of the Standard Bank Art Lab. Situated at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton City, the Art Lab reimagines how audiences engage with art through encouraging interaction that is up close, in motion and in dialogue with the present. The premise of the inaugural exhibition, Following the Blue Thread: It's Woven Into Who We Are, stitches those days of trade to today's artistic landscape. 'At Standard Bank, we believe that contemporary art is not peripheral to progress,' says Margaret Nienaber, Standard Bank's Group COO. 'Instead, it is central to how we see, shape and share our future. [Art provides] a space where legacy fuels innovation and where creativity is treated not only as a luxury, but also as a vital form of engagement.' Standard Bank has never been sheepish in its affinity for the arts. From its decades-long collaboration with the National Arts Festival to the renowned Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year Awards, South African arts across many disciplines have become stitched to the brand of the bank. The inaugural exhibition includes the work of past award winners in fine arts William Kentridge (1987) and Sam Nhlengethwa (1994), as well as household names such as Penny Siopis, Judish Mason and Mirriam Ndebele. A meticulous process of selection was undertaken by curator Dr Same Mdluli. 'At the core of its curatorial premise the exhibition threads together the tapestries as centring collections as a source for artistic appreciation and inspiration, but more importantly, a rich resource for both academic and curatorial research,' said Mdluli. Stitching together an exhibition Allina Ndebele's tapestry titled Ancestors was the first acquisition for the bank's corporate art collection in 1976. A colourful and vibrant tapestry depicting what can be interpreted as episodic anecdotal visual representations of African spirituality, folklore or history, it's the woven equivalent of a captivating nganekwane (Zulu fantasy story). Office Love (2001), Kentridge's contribution in collaboration with the Stephens Tapestry Studio, has a more modern and industrial outlook. With muted tones and dark silhouette imagery, the hand-woven mohair tapestry is an image of an everyman with a typewriter for a head, who is striding towards a workstation superimposed over what seems to be a map of Johannesburg. 'There is a worldview each of the tapestries present that resonates with a South African context in particular ways,' Mdluli said. 'This can be seen in how the work also presents symbolism employed by the artist in condensing a convoluted cultural myth and telling this through simplistic visual language.' Siopis's Shame (2003) and Nhlengethwa's Late Night Jazz (1994) best exemplify Mdluli's assembly of artworks that speak to varying yet deeply interconnected sociopolitical themes with enduring South African contexts. Late Night Jazz has eccentric visual undertones in its depiction of culture, fashion and perspective, evoking a sense of nostalgia that harks to the black diasporic influence on the youth of South Africa at the height of Sophiatown. It is both a warming and haunting reminder of how black people found joy amid the cruelty of apartheid. Shame, on the other hand, is striking in its use of red to depict a feminine figure gushing what seems like blood. Siopis is interested in what she calls the poetics of vulnerability. Considering the never-ending aggression South African women endure, the piece is chilling. When it comes to art, Standard Bank is not a sheep but a shepherd. The exhibition seamlessly connects different aspects of South African life. Its Art Lab is perfectly designed to be a space that values curiosity over convention, and community over exclusivity – a space where legacy meets possibility. DM
