Next week, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) will begin public consultations on the Northern Cape’s Unconventional Gas Regulations.
In accordance with Section 38 of the National Water Act of 1998, the published Unconventional Gas Regulations specify the conditions and steps to be taken when using water for unconventional gas-related activities.
According to the department, meetings with internal and external stakeholders about the published Unconventional Gas Regulations have already taken place.
Public engagements are currently underway, especially with communities that will be impacted by unconventional gas activities that are currently being piloted or that are anticipated for use in the future.
The Northern Cape’s Richmond community and adjacent areas will be the subject of a meeting with the Department of Water and Sanitation next week on July 12 as part of public engagements about the published Unconventional Gas Regulations.
Public participation and views will be sought through meetings and recorded comments, and information pamphlets will be provided.
Before the regulations are officially gazetted, communities in the impacted areas are required to provide feedback, according to department spokesperson Sputnik Ratau.
The public engagements will take place from 11-20 July 2022 in the following communities:
11 July 2022 – Theunissen in the Free State
12 July 2022 – Richmond in the Northern Cape
13 July 2022 – Beaufort West in the Western Cape
18 July 2022 – Lephalale in Limpopo
19 July 2022 – Volksrust in Mpumalanga
20 July 2022 in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape.