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Conservation groups are "encouraged" by the minister's move but are waiting to see details of the settlement offer.

For now, a court hearing is still scheduled for October.

For climate change news and analysis, go to News24 Climate Future.

The new environment minister in the Government of National Unity, Dion George of the DA, has instructed his lawyers to settle High Court litigation being brought against his department by bird conservation groups to protect African penguins from likely extinction in the wild as soon as 2035.

Tuesday's announcement by George via social media came as a surprise to conservation groups BirdLife South Africa and SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds), who in March this year initiated the action against George's predecessor, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy from the ANC and two of her directors-general.

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