Rights groups have called on the South African government to reject what they believe is an Israeli fossil fuel grab in the Orange Basin, warning that, if allowed, it could result in human rights and environmental risks.
Israeli company Navitas Petroleum plans to operate in a strategic and potentially profitable offshore oil block in the Orange Basin.
In a joint letter to Mineral Resources and Petroleum Minister Gwede Mantashe and other authorities, the groups warn that granting petroleum rights to Navitas Petroleum would undermine South Africa’s human rights and environmental commitments. Navitas is linked to the Israeli government, which Pretoria has taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over allegations that it is carrying out genocide in Palestine.
The groups set out what they describe as the South African government’s legal obligations to reject involvement with activities and companies that aid Israel’s alleged genocidal activities and illegal occupation in Palestine, or that cause irreversible harm to the oceans and climate. The letter was jointly submitted by the South African BDS Coalition, Masifundise Development Trust, Natural Justice and the Climate Justice Coalition.
Their concerns centre on an application to transfer significant ownership of Block 1 CBK to Navitas Petroleum. The groups believe that, if approved by South Africa, the move would extend a strategic resource opportunity to a company anchored in Israel’s domestic capital market, effectively making South Africa complicit in generating income for the Israeli state, investors and financial institutions that they believe are funding the alleged genocide.
The groups argue that South Africa has a moral duty not to do anything that could strengthen Israel’s position in its continued occupation of Palestine.
“The South African Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has the authority and obligation to reject this application. South Africa must not support genocide, apartheid and illegal occupation of Palestine,” they said in a joint statement.
“Right now, as Israel is continuing the genocide in Gaza, escalating ethnic cleansing and expanding its illegal occupation, it is beyond urgent that we end our complicity and sanction apartheid Israel. It is unconscionable that the South African government can even consider allowing a company that profits the genocidal state to export ‘ecocide’ to our shores,” they said.
While South Africa has taken political and legal action against Israel, including the ICJ case and a parliamentary resolution calling for the closure of the Israeli embassy in Pretoria, economic dealings between the two countries are more complicated, with Israeli companies continuing to operate in the South African economy.