An Australian firm which planned to mine in the iconic Karoo region of South Africa has been forced to leave after costly delays in the licensing process. DR. STEFAN CRAMER hopes its exit - combined with the environmental efforts of the new South African government - may enable the Karoo to finally realise its full potential in sustainable agriculture and renewable energies
Almost entirely unknown to the outside world, and even to most local residents, hundreds of square kilometres of South Africa's Karoo dryland have been bought up by uranium mining companies, writes Dr Stefan Cramer. With no strategic assessment of the industry's devastating impacts and massive water demand, official permission could soon be granted for vast open pit mines.
