The ANC is looking at ways of how to deal with the growing opposition to gas and oil exploration.

In its national policy document, it has proposed that objections be confronted politically as these natural resources could not only be a source for wealth but increase energy security for the country.

Over the past year at least two seismic studies to explore for oil and gas offshore have been halted. Environmentalists and community groups had successfully taken the matters to court over concerns about how these projects were given approval as well as what the explorations could mean for the livelihoods of small-scale fishers.

South Africa remains exposed to the rapidly fluctuating price of crude oil due to international events. A case in point is the Russia Ukraine conflict which has contributed to the price of petrol climbing to over R25 a litre. But should Pretoria’s exploration for oil be successful it would reduce its reliance on imports and potentially drop fuel prices.