Oil Majors Lose Legal Dispute Over Wild Coast Exploration Plans

The highly anticipated Constitutional Court judgment in the matter brought by Wild Coast communities and environmental organisations against oil companies, Shell and Impact Africa, was heard this morning. The notion that Shell’s financial investment of R1.1 billion or corporate expectations should outweigh the constitutional rights and interests of affected communities, future generations and the environment, was rejected by the Constitutional Court which instead affirmed communities that consultation is not just a process but an expression of human rights. This case has been ongoing since 2021 and developments have been tracked and reported on this website.