‘Alarm Raised Over Proposed Lephalale Methane Gas Project – Calls For Comment Period Extension, For Meaningful Public Participation’ 26 June 2026

Next week (29 June) is the deadline for public comment on an application for a Coalbed Methane Exploration Project in Lephalale, Limpopo. With only days to go, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg joins local activists and other civil society organisations to raise serious concerns about the potential impacts the project could have on health and livelihoods, as well as its broader environmental and climate implications. According to Thabo Sibeko, Senior Programs Officer at Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, “For years, people in Lephalale have lived in the shadow of the region’s coal mines and power stations, enduring severe air pollution, land degradation and growing pressure on already scarce water resources. Additionally, in recent years, Limpopo has experienced increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events. So, instead of locking South Africa into more fossil fuels, we should promote a just transition toward a low-carbon economy.”

According to the Scoping Report, the proposed project seeks environmental authorisation to drill 333 production wells across an operational area of approximately 134,155 hectares, covering 224 farm portions and directly affecting around 20 farms. Importantly, operations would take place only 5 km from Marapong Township and 11 km from Onverwacht, placing nearby residents very close to the proposed activities. “Communities should not be expected to respond to a project of this scale – one that could lock the region into decades of additional fossil fuel extraction – without clear information, accessible meetings and a genuine opportunity to participate. Despite the proposed development’s size and potential long-term impacts, the recent public meetings saw very limited participation from residents of Marapong and Onverwacht. Meaningful public participation is not a procedural box to tick; it is fundamental to environmental justice and democratic decision-making,” says Sibeko.

…Community based organisations and community members say the proposed project raises serious concerns about its potential climate, water, air quality and biodiversity impacts, as well as risks to agriculture, heritage sites and nearby communities. They have also questioned emergency preparedness, rehabilitation commitments and the long-term implications of expanding fossil fuel extraction in a region already heavily affected by mining and energy developments. Civil society groups are calling for a transparent environmental assessment that fully considers cumulative impacts, climate obligations and affected communities’ rights to meaningful public participation. Earthlife Africa and supporting organisations are also calling for an extension of the public comment period, citing concerns about meeting accessibility, language barriers, limited attendance by directly affected communities and the technical nature of the proposal. An extension, and bringing the sessions closer to the target population will give them a fair opportunity to understand the project and make informed submissions on a development that could shape Lephalale for decades.