Story perspectives

South Africa Court Orders Shell to Halt Offshore Oil Exploration

By Drooid · Oct 26, 2026, 10:39 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

South Africa's highest court ordered Shell to stop offshore oil exploration after Amadiba communities were not consulted.
Community elders launched the “Maps Are Now Our Spears” counter-mapping project.
Using GPS, they mapped wetlands, relics and burial sites of the Mpondo king.
The maps showed a thriving land-based economy and urged Sanral to halt the highway and respect land-rights law.

History

Historical Context

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, signed by President Nelson Mandela on 10 December 1996 and brought into force on 4 February 1997, emerged from the 1990s negotiations between the ANC and the National Party that ended apartheid. Its provisions have been invoked by Amadiba elders, and in 2024 the Constitutional Court ordered Shell to stop offshore exploration, citing those constitutional guarantees.

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Story summary

South Africa's highest court ordered Shell to stop offshore oil exploration after Amadiba communities were not consulted.
Community elders launched the “Maps Are Now Our Spears” counter-mapping project.
Using GPS, they mapped wetlands, relics and burial sites of the Mpondo king.
The maps showed a thriving land-based economy and urged Sanral to halt the highway and respect land-rights law.

1 / 2