Looking back at a stellar 2024

In the four years of our existence, PTWC has made a significant impact by bringing the issue of unchecked and destructive mining on the West Coast into the public domain and has achieved significant success in taking mining companies and the government to task. 

This year, we took it up a notch! Our top 10 highlights include:

1. Legal Accountability Programme

We ramped up our Legal Accountability Programme to ensure mining companies on the West Coast operate according to the law. This focused in part on Trans Hex as a result of our agreed 2023 court order. Apart from preventing them from mining in the Olifants Estuary and elsewhere, the court directed a series of site visits by scientific and legal experts to inspect their operations, the second of which revealed a raft of apparent transgressions by Trans Hex which they have denied, pointing the finger instead at the neighbouring mine operated by MSR. 

We have brought these to their attention and are pressuring the company to resolve them. In addition, we are also challenging them on the recently published upgrade of their outdated Environmental Management Programme (EMPr), which in PTWC’s experts’ views remains non-compliant. Apart from Trans Hex, we are expanding our scrutiny of several other mining companies on the West Coast, including MSR, and there is undoubtedly potential for more legal action. 

2. The Launch of Ripl

This innovative new platform aims to revolutionise the public participation process to stem the deluge of mining applications on the West Coast, through a seamless user interface that condenses an archaic and complex process into a simple, understandable format. Ripl allows the public to participate as part of the solution. Developed with Cape Town digital agency ibay, Ripl enables anyone to register as an Interested and Affected Party (I&AP) and to join PTWC’s efforts to hold the mining industry legally accountable. Ripl is already making waves, and we will increase its impact as we expand its influence into local communities in 2025.

3. Photography Survey and Mining Map

In June a media crew from PTWC teamed up with top marine conservation photographer and pilot Jean Tresfon from The Bateleurs to shoot stills and video footage of mining operations – and the damage they are wreaking – of the entire West Coast from the open cockpit of his gyrocopter, the first time such a project had ever been undertaken. We also launched our interactive Mining Map on our website, where you can explore the status of all known mineral extraction activities in the region. It’s revelatory, and it’s only going to get better.

4. Film Projects

The footage gained from our trip up the West Coast was used to create the short film Mines of Mordor, a chilling account of the devastation along the coast that we screened at the launch of Ripl and other events. Playing on The Lord of the Rings metaphor, the film resonated with our support base, and has garnered almost 6,000 views on YouTube. PTWC also secured funding for a full feature documentary Guardians of the West, which will be produced by Eyeforce Films in 2025. Director Arthur Neumeier and his crew have already been up the West Coast four times to capture footage and conduct interviews. Several other global media entities have also expressed interest in making films about our work, and negotiations are underway.

5. Media coverage 

Our Media Outreach Programme – which aims to bring the issue of unscrupulous mining on the West Coast to the local and international public – continued apace in 2024. Our main overseas media achievements included the publication of feature articles on the Al Jazeera English website and in Surfer magazine (US), and coverage on the Australian Barrelled Podcast, as well as local radio coverage on Cape Talk, and features in Daily Maverick, Acumen, Go!/Weg!, Zigzag, and Jack Journal magazines.

6. Engagement with activists and communities

PTWC increased its engagement with, and support of, allied activists and local communities. This began when we attended the inaugural Mining-affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) summit in Pretoria in February and continued with visits to the Richtersveld to support local communities in their fight to take ownership of their land and resources from the clutches of the mining industry.  

We also attended the Fisher People Tribunal, the West Coast Way Tourism Summit, the 7th International Marine Conservation Congress, and the Annual Environmental Law Association (ELA) Conference; talked at various Cape Town schools; participated in several workshops, including Strategies to Address Mining and Other Threats to Protected Areas; 30X30: Towards a Strategy for Protecting our Protected Areas with WWF, EWT and Birdlife SA; and engaged with like-minded organisations, such as CER, WESSA, Biodiversity Law and others.

7. Run West and Tand Invitational

A record turnout of 250 runners raised more than R25,000 for our work during the second annual Run West event. The 21km race, which began near the fishing village of Papendorp up the Olifants River and wound its way along the beach, through the picturesque settlement of Strandfontein to end at Fryer’s Cove in Doringbaai, was won by last year’s winner Raydon Barret in a blistering time of 1 hour and 34 minutes. We also partnered with an international bodyboarding event, The Tand Invitational, held near Paternoster in July, won by South Africa’s Tristan Roberts.

8. Expansion of our team

PTWC welcomed !Ama national leader Martinus Fredericks to our Advisory Board and UCT Professor Emeritus Merle Sowman to our Executive Committee; welcomed back Exco member Pippa Dickson as Operations Manager; and brought on two part-time paralegals, Tashreeq Dollie and Zarreen Khan. Unfortunately, though he remains on the team, Tashreeq is leaving us next year to focus on his articles – thank you for all the great work Tash! Huge thanks also to Martinus, Merle, Pippa and Zarreen for your invaluable contributions, as well as the continued hard work of the rest of our team.

9. 2024 Ecologic Gold Award 

PTWC was honoured to win Gold in the Community Category at The Eco-Logic Awards 2024 in recognition of our work on the ground on the West Coast. The Eco-Logic Awards identifies individuals, organisations and communities that positively contribute towards a sustainable world. Congrats also to the first and second runners-up in our category, Mosselbank River Conservation Team and Abalimi Bezekhaya, as well as the other finalists who are all doing amazing work. 

10. New Merch Range

This year, we added upcycled bags and backpacks, a new Weskus-style enamel coffee mug, and our affordable new all-cotton Defender and Custodian tees to our range of limited edition apparel, which includes hoodies, long-sleeve tees and T-shirts and even some informative reading.

Every purchase contributes directly to the work of PTWC, bolsters our legal resources, supports our education programmes, fuels our media magicians, and drives our community action.

See you in 2025!

Once again, we could not have done any of this without you. Whether you attended or participated in our events, signed up to Ripl to make your voice heard, donated to the cause, purchased our merch, simply shared our content, spread our message, or helped us protect the Weskus in any other way, we are incredibly grateful.

PTWC recently held its annual Strategy Session on the West Coast and has a comprehensive plan to broaden our work considerably in 2025, so bring it on!

We hope you have a great holiday break and a wonderful festive season.

See you next year!

Mike Schlebach (MD) and the PTWC team.