Minister of Mineral Resources and African National Congress (ANC) Chairperson Gwede Mantashe says Eastern Cape residents are quick to protest when there’s a potential economic development, hence, the province is not developing.
Mantashe was delivering the eulogy at the funeral of the ANC Chairperson and Mayor in the Sarah Baartman District, Mzimkhulu Scara Njadayi at Bathurst outside Port Alfred.
Njadayi died last week during a council meeting. Mantashe who was speaking as Chairperson of the ANC said Njadayi had a vision of developing Sarah Baartman economically when he was elected as mayor.
Mantashe was involved in a legal battle with environmental and human rights groups over the exploration of oil and gas off the Wild Coast.
High court dismisses application to halt Shell’s seismic survey:
The groups wanted to halt Shell from conducting a seismic survey on the province’s Wild Coast. Mantashe says these are the reasons investors leave the province.
“When we say Shell must explore if there’s oil, people of this province demonstrate and even want to set Shell garages alight. While they are busy fighting Shell moves to Namibia because in the Eastern Cape they don’t want the seismic survey.
“We want to grow the economy of the Eastern Cape. Maybe there is oil and gas we don’t know. We are exploring. But they don’t want Shell.”
