Environmental groups take Koeberg expansion approval to court

Three environmental organisations have filed a High Court review of the authorisation for Eskom’s proposed nuclear power station near Cape Town. 

The proposed 4,000MW Nuclear-1 power station would be built at Duynefontein, next to the existing Koeberg nuclear station.

RELATED: Eskom partially approved to build new nuclear power station on outskirts of Cape Town

The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (Safcei), Greenpeace Africa, and Earthlife Africa Johannesburg argued that the approval was granted in breach of the mandatory requirements of South Africa’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) laws.

They are asking the court to declare the environmental authorisation and Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho David Ramokgopa’s appeal decision unlawful.

SAFCEI Executive Director Francesca de Gasparis argued that there are several red flags with the EIA.

The environmental approval process, which began in 2007, was only granted authorisation in 2017. Subsequent appeals were only dismissed in 2025.

“It flies in the face of environmental impact assessment laws around mandatory requirements… There are many problems with this particular EIA.

De Gasparis said other key issues have also arisen, including the fact that the site is located on a fault line.

“You can see it in Christchurch, New Zealand, where an entire city was built on a fault line and that entire city was destroyed.”

She emphasised that the risks associated with nuclear energy are real and the institute is determined to ensure that the government and public are aware of them.

"We're seeing this really bullish response from Minister Ramakgopa about how Koeberg is so marvellous, and we need new nukes all over South Africa… But it's also a comment on what's happening in terms of once again our government's energy planning and how it's not pro-poor, and it's not looking after our needs, and it keeps being captured by vested interest.

"We are not looking seriously at all the risks. We are not understanding the implications and what that would mean for Cape Town and South Africa.”

To listen to De Gasparis in conversation with CapeTalk’s Clarence Ford, use the audio player below: