Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, recently extended the period for comment on the Draft Film and Publications Amendment Regulations, which align with the Films and Publications Amendment Act. Anti-censorship groups have dubbed this the “internet censorship bill” for seeking to regulate what it deems “harmful content” and to corral … [Read more...]
The hidden costs of SA government’s nuclear plans
The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) recently made a number of requests for information in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), following its growing concern about government’s latest push for further nuclear energy projects. According to Safcei’s Francesca de Gasparis, it is the public’s right to have access to key … [Read more...]
Media’s role in good environmental governance and public participation
Climate change, the main existential crisis of our day, remains under the public radar in 2019 South Africa. Inadequate media coverage is in part to blame. Whether or not South African media are reporting on the climate crisis and encouraging public participation, and how they do it, affects how the public perceives and engages on the issue. Climate change is already … [Read more...]
Extinction Rebellion gatecrashes energy conference at CTICC
Earlier today, Extinction Rebellion (XR) Cape Town and XR Winelands took non-violent direct action against the Africa Oil and Power conference currently being held at the CTICC, in order to draw attention to the crimes against humanity that the conference is intended to facilitate. The official website for the conference boasts a “…platform for power pioneers such as Kenya, … [Read more...]
Standard Bank tables first SA shareholder resolution on climate risk
Standard Bank’s Notice of Annual General Meeting, released on 17 April 2019, includes a resolution proposed by shareholders that would require the bank to prepare a report on its exposure to climate risk in its lending, financing and investment activities. This is the first time that a South African company has tabled a shareholder resolution on any climate-related issue. … [Read more...]
Green Party aims for harmony between humans and the environment
The Green Party of South Africa is standing for the Western Cape provincial elections this year. The party's core goal is to have humans live in harmony with each other and our environment. It is an ideology shared to some level by every citizen of this country – from those who wish they could end poverty for others, or for themselves, end animal cruelty, etc. and for those … [Read more...]
Public participation needed for effective environmental governance
“I think we understand why we are all here,” said Janet Munakamwe, Action 24 workshop facilitator, as she held a copy of the Constitution of South Africa in the air. “The key is in the preamble of the Constitution – the first three words are ‘We, the people’,” replied Bongani Dlamini, from Youth@SAIIA. These were the opening remarks of the Action 24 workshop in Gauteng, one … [Read more...]
2017 SAB Environmental Media Awards open for entries
The South African Breweries (SAB) has opened entries into the Annual SAB Environmental Media Awards and Environmentalist of the Year 2017. Now in its 29th year, the Awards were started by the late conservationist Dr. Ian Player. They aim to recognise members of the media who have excelled in reporting on environmental matters in video, audio, written media and photography … [Read more...]
The time has come to un-muzzle the SABC
The SABC is under attack - corrupted into a pro-government megaphone that deafens democracy and drowns out dissent. Six journalists have now been suspended for criticising the propaganda policies of SABC chief, Hlaudi Motsoeneng. Policies that silence reports on public protests and require 80% of SABC news to be good news - news the government likes. As elections … [Read more...]
Environmental Media Award winners announced
Congratulations to the environmental journalists who won this year's SAB Environmental Media and Media Environmentalist Awards. The Awards, in their 27th year, recognise the excellence of South African journalists who are reporting on and creating awareness of environmental issues. The South African Breweries (SAB), together with a panel of judges from within the media … [Read more...]
UNESCO publishes climate change guidebook for journalists
African media can and should do more to tell the story of climate change, observes a new UNESCO publication, titled Climate Change in Africa: A Guidebook for Journalists. “This guidebook is part of UNESCO’s overall effort to raise awareness of the interdisciplinary core of climate change, and how journalists can reflect that in their practices”, says Fackson Banda, UNESCO … [Read more...]
Freedom of press under threat
Press freedom is once again seriously threatened. Please become informed and take action. Melanie Gosling (pictured) of the Cape Times wrote a story about the irregular tender and the findings of the Public Protector which included that: “the awarding of the tender to Sekunjalo Marine Service Consortium was improper” and that the “fisheries department had failed to deal with … [Read more...]
Do we need the green news?
"This global crisis... will necessitate levels of collaboration, selfless behaviour, compassion & respect for the lives & future of our own & other species hitherto unknown on such a broad level.” (Robert Zipplies in Bending the Curve – Your guide to tackling climate change in South Africa) Our news platform challenges the role of the news media and our … [Read more...]
