Court upholds environmental authorisation for Eskom gas plant

The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has dismissed a bid to have the environmental authorisation for Eskom’s proposed gas power plant in Richards Bay overturned, but has taken aim at the deficient public participation process. In the judgment handed down by Judge Anthony Millar last week, the court dismissed a landmark application brought by two environmental justice NGOs – the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance and Groundwork – to review and set aside the Department of Environmental Affairs’ decision to grant Eskom’s proposed power plant an environmental authorisation.