My journey in activism started about four years ago, after my family was severely affected by the water crisis that hit the Western Cape. I saw first-hand how the drought was affecting small-scale farmers, including my mother, who rely on rain to grow crops and feed cattle. When you see your cows dying, you see money going down the drain. I conducted research on the internet … [Read more...]
Lessons learned during landmark SA nuclear court case
On Monday 26 April, it will be four years since the Western Cape High Court found the government’s R1-trillion nuclear deal and associated energy procurement processes to be “illegal and unconstitutional”. South Africa was spared from a corrupt deal under the Zuma government that would have bankrupted the country. This day also marks 35-years since the Chernobyl nuclear … [Read more...]
Yet more secrets for nuclear power
Yet another secretive Section 34 Determination for nuclear power had been signed by the current Minister of Energy, Tina Joemat-Pettersson. This was revealed in Court during what was described as a “disquieting” twist of events by senior counsel for the State (Marius Oosthuizen SC) on Tuesday. In the Western Cape High Court Environmental Justice Groups - Earthlife Africa … [Read more...]
Zuma urges return to the land
South African president Jacob Zuma urged millions of South Africans to return to the land as a way to augment income and reduce food insecurity. Speaking in late October at a dinner hosted by the recently-launched African Farmers Association of South Africa, Zuma said his government would continue to promote food gardens and other types of subsistence agriculture for people to … [Read more...]
Help protect us from secrecy
In November 2011, the National Assembly passed the Secrecy Bill, ignoring a monumental public outcry. It was a sad day for South Africa's democracy, and it became known as Black Tuesday. The battle now moves to The National Council of Provinces and President Zuma, who both must approve the Bill before it becomes law. We must keep challenging this draconian bill and taking … [Read more...]
COP17 conference kicks off in Durban
The President of the Republic of South Africa, Jacob Zuma has officially opened the much anticipated COP17/CMP7 conference held at the Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. In his speech, he stresses the need for all involved parties to strive to find a solution, here in Durban. “For most people in the developing world and Africa, climate change is a matter of life … [Read more...]
Blood Spots Leopard
Panjo, the Fernandes' pet tiger that was in the news a few weeks ago, has placed the public focus on big cats in South Africa. He might have been a Bengal Tiger, not in the least indigenous, but at least alive and well in this country. South Africa features equal beauties in the form of the lion, the cheetah and the leopard, to name but the jewels in Africa's crown. These … [Read more...]
Zuma missed out on being a visionary leader
Although President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address rightly focussed on the urgent need for job creation and energy security in South Africa, he failed to see how renewable energy has an important role to play in fulfilling both goals. Greenpeace regrets that Zuma's only comment on reducing our energy footprint was that South Africans should "turn off their geysers" … [Read more...]
