Carl Niehaus expresses outrage over Navitas Petroleum's plans to exploit South Africa's natural resources, highlighting the hypocrisy of engaging with a company linked to Zionist apartheid while pursuing justice for Palestine.
As an Economic Freedom Fighters Member of Parliament, I write this opinion piece with deep outrage. Reports confirm that Navitas Petroleum LP, an Israeli oil and gas firm, is poised to take operatorship of Block 1CBK in the Orange Basin off South Africa’s west coast. Through Navitas Petroleum Africa Limited, it seeks a 37.5% participating interest and operatorship from Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas Ltd., with Eco Atlantic and OrangeBasin Energies (Pty) Ltd holding the balance. This block, the northern-most on our West Coast, extends about 250 kilometres along the Namibia border and covers approximately 19,907 square kilometres of our sovereign seabed.
This proposed transaction is not merely commercial. It is a profound political and moral affront. While South Africa has taken the principled and courageous step of instituting proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people, we are simultaneously entertaining the idea of allowing an Israeli company to exploit our natural resources in our own waters. This is hypocrisy of the highest order. It undermines our internationalist credentials and makes a mockery of the solidarity we claim with the oppressed people of Palestine.
