Anti-fracking group wants to address MPs

Cape Town - Groups opposed to fracking should also be given a chance to address parliament on the matter, lobby group Treasure Karoo Action Group (TKAG), said on Tuesday.

The group said it objected to parliament allowing Shell to "unilaterally" brief the legislature on its plans to use hydraulic fracking in the Karoo.

It had sent a letter to the chairperson of the portfolio committee on science and technology on Tuesday outlining its objections, TKAG national co-ordinator Jonathan Deal said in a statement.

"The committee should wait for the multi-disciplinary task team (to investigate the merits and demerits of fracking) to do its work and finish its recommendations. Pre-empting the work of the task team shows a lack of respect for due process.

"Secondly, it does not make sense to invite only one company planning fracking and not others, like Bundu or Falcon. What special influence does Shell enjoy? And thirdly, fracking is highly controversial and inviting only the 'pro-fracking' lobby and not the opposing side is equally problematic and will open the committee to perceptions of bias," said Deal.

A representative of Shell was scheduled to brief parliament at 10am on Wednesday.

Fracking involves pumping a high pressure mixture of water, sand and chemicals into the shale bed to break apart underground shale rock and extract the gas.

Proposals have been made by Shell, Falcon Oil and Bundu Oil and Gas to explore shale gas deposits in the Karoo.

But Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu has placed a freeze on applications for rights to explore for shale gas until her department has formulated a policy on it.

This after pressure from environmentalists, farmers, scientists and citizens.

Many argued that fracking would impact negatively on ground water and surface water resources in the Karoo.

Earlier this month, French legislators voted to ban fracking and while a study published in the US found no sign that fracking chemicals were polluting the water supply, it found evidence that gas was leaking from shale wells into drinking water.