Hunt for Gas Hits Fragile Soil, and South Africans Fear Risks

Chris Hayward, a South African farmer, says, "If our government lets these companies touch even a drop of our water, we're ruined."

KAROO, South Africa — When a drought dried up their wells last year, hundreds of farmers and their families flocked to local fairgrounds here to pray for rain, and a call went out on the regional radio station imploring South Africans to donate bottled water.

Covering much of the roughly 800 miles between Johannesburg and Cape Town, this arid expanse — its name means “thirsty land” — sees less rain in some parts than the Mojave Desert.

Read More 

NY Times