Court to hear landmark legal challenge against TotalEnergies oil exploration

The Western Cape High Court is set to hear a landmark legal challenge against proposed deepwater oil and gas drilling off the country's West Coast.

Over the next two days, the court will consider an application to overturn the environmental authorisation granted to TotalEnergies for exploration drilling in the deep Western Orange Basin.

The basin stretches from off the coast of Saldanha Bay toward the Namibian border.

The case has been brought by the Aukotowa Fisheries Cooperative, environmental group The Green Connection, and public interest law organisation Natural Justice against the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources.

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They argue the department's approval process was flawed and inconsistent with the Constitution, environmental law, and the country's climate and energy commitments.

Outside the court, close to 100 small-scale fishers are expected to stage a peaceful protest.

They said offshore drilling threatens marine ecosystems, food security and livelihoods along the coast.