The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the company had made claims that were unsubstantiated and likely to mislead, in a complaint brought by a lobby group that is fighting a bid by Shell to explore for gas deposits.
Shell wants to drill using hydraulic fracturing known as “fracking” in the country’s vast central Karoo region and published a full-page print advertisement in several daily and weeklies in April.
“We are disappointed by the ruling,” said Shell South Africa chair Bonang Mohale.
“The purpose of the advert was to provide information directly to the public to enable them to properly assess the nature of the proposed shale gas exploration in the Karoo, as well as the accompanying technology of hydraulic fracturing.”
The matter was brought by the Treasure the Karoo Action Group, which welcomed the decision. The authority ruled in its favour on four counts, dismissed four complaints and withheld judgment on one matter.
The findings against Shell included claims that fracking was used in 90% of natural gas wells and that there were no documented cases of groundwater contamination from the process.
“We do not know enough about the long-term or even the short-term damage fracking could inflict on the environment,” said action group chairperson Jonathan Deal.
Shell is among several companies hoping to drill for potential gas trapped in the Karoo by pumping water, sand and chemicals deep underground at high pressure to force out deposits trapped in track.
South Africa’s government has halted all new applications and any decisions to explore for gas in the Karoo while it carries out a study after a massive public backlash against the “fracking” process over environmental fears. — Sapa-AFP
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
