Initially, Protect the West Coast (PTWC) focused its efforts on drawing attention to the deluge of mining applications. However, in 2025, significant scientific and legal additions to the organisation have strengthened its power to influence how mining is conducted, and to shape the future of the West Coast.
In the introduction to the recent Impact Report, Chairperson Camila Budden and Managing Director Mike Schlebach honoured the supporters and partners who joined PTWC on its journey: “Margaret Mead’s words about committed citizens changing the world often come to mind, and we would add that the right partnerships and collaborations can make that impact even more powerful”.
Budden and Schlebach pointed out that 2025 was a year that saw important activity and growth behind the scenes and within the organisation to broaden its scope and influence.
“We expanded our advisory board, welcomed new team members, and worked alongside Eyeforce productions on our next film. We also recognised that our public participation platform Ripl is meeting a need beyond our original scope, and began shaping a second version based on both the demand for the platform and what we learned from the first,” they said.
“A major milestone was the completion of our first Special Report, ‘The Tipping Point’, in early 2026. This brought our legal, science and media teams together in close collaboration on a rigorously researched piece of work that marks an important step forward for the organisation.
“The report will support our engagement with the portfolio committee as we motivate for a Strategic Environmental Assessment and a moratorium on future mining approvals while that process is undertaken. It will also help stakeholders better understand the flaws in the current system, the cumulative impacts of mining on the West Coast, and the solutions we are proposing.
“We maintained a strong media presence, bringing on a PR agency, working with Rewild Africa on short films ahead of the Ripple Effect Gathering, and supporting the BBC with research and narrative for a feature and video production they published last year,” they continued.
“We also commissioned our first public art installation, Koos Malgas a 4m high sculpture of a Cape Gannet made from driftwood by local artist Chip Snaddon), now permanently homed near the PTWC headquarters in Kommetjie, which reminded us of the power of art to create connection and spark dialogue.
“There were important learnings too. Postponing the Ripple Effect Gathering (held in Langebaan in March 2026) could have been discouraging, but instead it gave us space to rethink the event. The result was a public gathering centered on connection, dialogue and visioning, and it was a resounding success.
“Growth brings complexity, but we remain open to innovation, problem-solving and learning. Thank you to all our supporters, partners and stakeholders. You are part of this vision, and we are deeply grateful to be on this journey with you,” Budden and Schlebach wrote.
In April PTWC also held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and looks forward to another year of even more impactful environmental activism.
Download the PTWC Impact Report 2025 below:
