In late January, Protect the West Coast (PTWC) travelled to the Richtersveld in the far Northern Cape to improve communication within mining-affected communities through a new digital platform; to empower them to unite to resolve the myriad issues around their ongoing land claim, and to expose their social and environmental challenges in the mainstream media.

Protect the West Coast (PTWC) has noted an application by Cape Nickel Ventures to prospect for a plethora of metals with hazardous potential to the environment should it lead to a Mining Right down the line. The metals Cape Nickel Ventures are after include cobalt, lead, tin, and other rare earth and heavy metals. A public meeting on the application will be held at the Kliprand Community Hall on Thursday January 30. PTWC urges the public to register as an Interested and Affected party at our public participation portal www.ripl.co.za

PTWC’s fourth year marks a major step forward in our mission, thanks to the dedication of the team and the passionate involvement of our community that continues to inspire us to protect the environment and people of the region, and to create a thriving and abundant West Coast that benefits all. Here we look back at our top 10 highlights of 2024.

To comply with an agreed order of the Western Cape High Court, mining company Trans Hex has finally delivered its updated Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) to mine near the Olifants River Estuary and surrounding coast. However, according to a team of scientists and lawyers, it contains serious flaws that render it non-compliant with the order.

Explore an endangered, hidden marine plant in South Africa through the eyes of a researcher from Stellenbosch University, who has studied this often-overlooked and little-known flora at a site on the banks of the Olifants River Estuary, which is currently under enormous threat from the mining industry. What is seagrass, why is it endangered, why is mining a threat to it and why should you care?

In October, West Coast property owners Braam and Therese Nieuwoudt filed a trespassing charge against Richwill Diamonds (Pty) Ltd for allegedly prospecting on their coastal farm Waterval in the Northern Cape without their consent. A deluge of mining applications on the property exemplifies the need for a moratorium on all new mining across the entire region until a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is conducted to assess the cumulative impact of mining.

Despite decades of legal battles to secure land and mining rights, the people of the Richtersveld remain bereft of a share in mining wealth under their ancestral lands. Now the community is angry at a new challenge over the Green Hydrogen and Boegoebaai mega-project that again threatens to run roughshod over their rights.

Protect the West Coast (PTWC) has raised a red flag over a diamond mining application that will destroy 3,184 hectares of critical biodiversity biome in the Northern Cape. We encourage you to sign up to our new public participation platform Ripl to add your voice to our concerns regarding this potentially devastating application.

The public participation tool Ripl launched by Protect the West Coast in Cape Town this week has opened the door to a new era of democratic oversight over the granting of mining and prospecting permits on the West Coast. 

Protect the West Coast (PTWC) has added a range of eco-friendly bags and backpacks to its merchandise collection. Made from upcycled materials such as Bedouin tents, used sails and advertising banners, these unique, durable bags are available in a wide range of colours and styles that combine sustainability with functionality – and come with a lifetime warranty.