You’re officially invited to attend the Protect the West Coast ‘Ripple Effect Gathering’ at the Langebaan Town Hall on Saturday 14 March. Join us for a day of positive celebration and community that will showcase the potential of the West Coast to become a home for sustainable economic opportunities. The public, businesses, officials, and non-profit organisations are all welcome.
The mandate of PTWC has always been to stop the environmental and social degradation caused by illegal and unchecked heavy mineral and diamond mining. Part of this mandate is a vision for a thriving and sustainable future for the West Coast. PTWC invites like-minded people to explore and brainstorm sustainable economic solutions that bring jobs to communities – with an underlying principle that a healthy environment is the only way for people to thrive.
To negate the effects of bad weather, the Ripple Effect Gathering will take place in the Langebaan Town Hall for a day of inspiring and informative activities that will kick off on stage with a First Nation blessing, watched over by our five metre driftwood sculpture Koos Malgas, which will later be handed to Langebaan dignitaries as a gift to the town.
Koos Malgas is the creation of Kommetjie artist Chip Snaddon, who built the 90 kilogram statue from steel rebar, driftwood pieces, wire and various found objects collected from the beach.
Managing Director of PTWC Mike Schlebach said: “The Malgas, or Cape Gannet, is an iconic West Coast seabird familiar to coastal communities and fishers impacted by the unrelenting spread of beach and sand mining. Koos stands as a symbol of what’s at stake – a visceral representation of a threatened species that faces further environmental degradation.”
“The West Coast is approaching a tipping point because of unsustainable mining. Koos Malgas is a reminder that we still have a choice, but only if people get involved,” Schlebach said.
The event will include talks by some of the West Coast’s most prominent scientists, indigenous leaders, artisanal fishers, conservationists, rehabilitation experts and activists, who will be armed with solutions rather than obstacles for what lies ahead.
A panel discussion titled ‘The Way Forward’ will be held afterwards followed by a screening of the film Out of Mined, the new PTWC feature documentary fresh from the editing suite that shines a light on the devastation of beach mining on the West Coast, and the action needed to turn the tide against the mining industry’s stranglehold on the region.
Through the voices of local communities, scientists, environmentalists, and indigenous people, the film reveals the scars created by the mining industry. It shows what is at stake and outlines sustainable alternatives to transform the future of this once-pristine coastline.
PTWC will also launch its first annual Special Report calling for a more strategic approach to the management of the resources of the region at the Ripple Effect Gathering.
Community members will be transported to the event from as high up the coast as Port Nolloth, including fishers, indigenous elders and other stakeholders to be part of the conversation of how we map out a resilient and sustainable future for the entire West Coast.
Exhibitors to the event will include businesses and non-profit entities to showcase services and products dedicated to Nature-based Solutions (NbS), such as eco-tourism, and alternative industries such as algae-to-biofuel project SEAh4, and seaweed and abalone farming.
Local dignitaries from the Saldanha Bay Municipality, SANparks, Cape Nature and civil society entities will be in attendance at the Gathering, which is free of charge, and open to the public.
Any company, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) or other entity with a stake in the sustainable future of the West Coast is also welcome to get involved in the event (contact details below).
Get involved in The Ripple Effect Gathering
Contact: venessa@expose.co.za
Sign Petition
In the meantime, please help us keep up the momentum by signing and sharing our petition calling for a moratorium on new mining applications until a more strategic approach to managing the West Coast’s natural resources is put in place.
https://mailchi.mp/protectthewestcoast/the-ripple-effect-petition
Sign up to Ripl
If you have not done so yet, you can also register on PTWC’s digital platform Ripl, which simplifies the Public Participation Process to enable people to easily monitor and comment on mining applications. Sign up to ensure your voice is heard.
Sign up to Ripl: www.ripl.co.za
