The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) today, expressed optimism at President Ramaphosa’s forward-looking State of the Nation Address (SONA) last night. However, the multi-faith NGO says it is concerned that too much emphasis is placed on economic and technological developments, while social and environmental wellbeing seemed less … [Read more...]
Help stop South Africa’s corrupt nuclear deal
On 11 October 2017, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) issued an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) authorisation for a new nuclear power plant and a radioactive waste disposal facility at Koeberg, about 26 km North of Cape Town. The public (this includes all South African citizens) may appeal this decision by 4 March 2018. We have a short window of time to … [Read more...]
Coal and nuclear lobbies threaten renewables in South Africa
South African power utility Eskom recently repeated that it will not conclude supply contracts with the developers of new renewable energy power stations. These developers were selected under a programme to facilitate private sector involvement in the building of medium-sized renewable energy power stations. The programme has won plaudits for its success in facilitating the … [Read more...]
Stop the secret trillion rand nuclear deal
The moment to mobilise on a large scale has come: our next court hearing on the nuclear deal is on Wednesday 22 February and we really need your support. We will be marching from Parliament to the Cape High Court to show government that we care about a just energy future and won’t allow them to push through secret decisions. Where: Cape Town Parliament – Cape High … [Read more...]
Stop the Secret Nuclear Deal
On Thursday, 9 February 2017, R2K Western Cape in conjunction with SAFCEI, the Green Anglicans, Earthlife Africa, One Million Climate Jobs Campaign and Catholic Justice and Peace will be occupying bridges along the main arterial routes into Cape Town from 7:30AM - 9AM. They are picketing against the R1 Trillion Nuclear Deal that the government is said to have signed with … [Read more...]
Are SA’s energy plans a threat to citizens’ human rights?
On Tuesday and Wednesday, 13 & 14 December the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) and Earthlife Africa Johannesburg (ELA-JHB) are in the Cape Town High Court to legally challenge the SA government’s nuclear procurement process, which has been shrouded in secrecy and misinformation. This is one of the most significant challenges to government … [Read more...]
Vietnam cancels nuclear reactor deal: a lesson for South Africa
Vietnam recently announced that it would be cancelling its contract to buy two nuclear reactors from Rosatom, the Russian nuclear vendor. The decision was subsequently ratified by the Vietnamese National Assembly in Hanoi. The vice-chair of the parliamentary committee on science, technology and environment, Le Hong Tinh, has stated clearly that the nuclear programme would not … [Read more...]
Why government’s nuclear deal will destroy SA
Former ANC MP Andrew Feinstein (pictured, right), who resigned from parliament in protest over the bribes compatriots took from South Africa’s infamous R70bn Arms Procurement Deal, says that plundering will “seem like small change” against what’s planned from the proposed Nuclear Build programme. In our interview two months ago, Feinstein urged his countrymen to “take to the … [Read more...]
Comment on Eskom’s nuclear licence application before it’s too late
Minister Nhlanhla Nene was allegedly removed from Office because of his resistance to amongst other things, the Nuclear deal that was open for corruption and the country can not afford. Now Eskom (in a covert move) are trying to introduce a critical step of the Nuclear build program without the public noticing, by a sneaky and hidden notice in a provincial gazette... but it was … [Read more...]
No time for nuclear risks with climate wolf at the door
“One of the critical challenges of leadership right now is having the courage and basic honesty to say to people exactly where we are. To speak truth to power. And the bottom line is that we are 5 minutes to midnight in terms of the climate plot.” So said Kumi Naidoo, former head of Greenpeace International, at his opening speech during the Earthkeeper Briefings Way Beyond … [Read more...]
Court case exposes web of secrecy in government nuclear dealings
Earthlife Africa (ELA) and SAFCEI are in the process of filing and serving a supplementary founding affidavit in their court challenge against the Government’s proposed nuclear deal. In the case of purchasing nuclear reactors for South Africa, Minister Joemat Petterssen has gone on record saying that there will be a transparent, fair process when it comes to the nuclear … [Read more...]
Nuclear goes ahead, despite omission from NDC
Nuclear was not part of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC document)which our country submitted to COP21 ahead of the conference. Yet now we are going ahead with nuclear? Ahead of COP21 in Paris last year, civil society met with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to give input into the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution for South Africa (INDC). … [Read more...]
Ukraine nuclear power plants ‘dangerously’ without power
In an eerie reminder of a possible nuclear catastrophe, a senior Ukrainian energy official revealed that the attack on transmission towers that cut off the delivery of electricity from Ukraine to Crimea also created an emergency situation at nuclear power plants. The apparent act of sabotage in Ukraine’s Kherson region forced an emergency power unloading at several Ukrainian … [Read more...]
