Day 2 of court proceedings kick off on Tuesday, at the Western Cape High Court, in a case brought by a civil society coalition.
The coalition made up of the Green Connection, Natural Justice and the Aukotowa Primary Fishing Cooperative, want the decision made by the Director-General of the Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources, to grant the energy multinational giant, an Environmental Authorization (EA), revoked.
The group also wants the decision of Fisheries Minister (DAFF) to dismiss internal appeals, related to this case, reviewed and set aside.
The case kicked off on Monday, with close to 100 small-scale fishers and coastal community members, holding peaceful picket demonstrations outside the High Court, calling on the judiciary to overturn the environmental authorisation.
Local environmental and community activists are also expected to join in from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
The four- year battle started in October 2023, when the Department of Minerals and Petroleum granted TotalEnergies an EA, to drill deepwater acreage, in part of the Orange Basin region.
The group lodged court action, when the Minister of DAFF, dismissed eight internal appeals, back in October 2024.
Picture: Supplied