For immediate release – 25.09.2025

Climate Activists to Challenge Africa Energy Week’s Fossil Fuel Expansion

On Tuesday, 30 September, climate justice activists, community leaders, students, and ordinary Capetonians will gather outside the Cape Town International Convention Centre — the venue of Africa Energy Week 2025 — with one clear message: fossil fuels are driving our social and environmental crises, not solving them.

Africa Energy Week is marketed as a celebration of “business opportunities” offered by further coal, oil, and gas extraction on the continent, in the name of economic growth and development. However, these are false solutions to the climate crisis and are a stumbling block to a truly just transition in the energy sector. These fossil fuels heat our planet, pollute our air and water, and lock communities into a vicious cycle of poverty and dependency. This is regressive and is the opposite of societal development.

Fossil fuel wealth lines the pockets of an elite few, leaving the rest of us — especially those in marginalised communities — to face the worsening effects of climate change, endangering livelihoods, deepening inequality, poverty, threatening cultural heritage, and public health crises.

Instead of throwing lifelines to oil and gas, governments should be investing in the real solutions already at our fingertips: community-owned solar and wind, resilient food systems, and a just and inclusive transition that protects workers and puts people first.

Civil society organisations joining the protest include The Green Connection, African Climate Alliance, Extinction Rebellion Cape Town, Project 90 by 2030, SAFCEI, and the Climate Justice Coalition.

Africa Energy Week falls just a couple of months after the International Court of Justice delivered a landmark advisory opinion that stated governments must take steps to protect children’s right to a healthy environment in the face of the worsening climate crisis. So, the time to act is now.

Event details:

Date: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Time: 12:00–13:30
Location: Centre Island, Heerengracht St, Cape Town CBD (Opposite Onyx Building/Media24)
Lead organiser: The Green Connection

Press angle ideas:

Africa Energy Week protesters say that fossil fuels are not our future
Fossil fuels are false solutions to growth
Activists called “anti-development” yet fossil fuel investments have made SA lives worse
Young climate leaders taking action against fossil fuel expansion
Coastal and rural communities face the worst climate impacts – yet fossil fuel executives plan for continental expansion at Africa Energy Week

Quotes:

“Air pollution from coal-fired power stations kills more than 2,200 South Africans every year. Coal is also a major contributor to climate change, which we know will continue to pose health risks in the most extreme ways. As civil society organisations, we are often called “anti-development”. But if the utilisation of coal was so good for development, then we need to ask ourselves why we still have immense challenges such as poverty, inequality, and unemployment. They are going to be sitting in that conference room discussing the business opportunities for future fossil fuel extraction, but at what cost? We are sacrificing people’s lives and our planet.” Stella Hertantyo – African Climate Alliance
”We can’t continue to have leaders who constantly push for development of more fossil fuel projects when we are at a turning point. Climate change is impacting marginalized communities and without a just energy transition away from fossil fuels, negative impacts could worsen. Development must be centred around people and take into account socio-economic development and environmental sustainability. Oil and gas exploration could threaten the livelihoods of coastal communities who depend on fishing to survive.” Lisa Makaula – The Green Connection
“Oil and gas companies spread climate disinformation to lull decision makers into thinking that we have decades to address the climate crisis. This is false. Catastrophic consequences are upon us with scientists and actuaries predicting two billion deaths by 2050 and 25% loss in GDP globally. We call on decision makers not to be hoodwinked into building fossil fuel infrastructure in South Africa which will either kill us from climate change impacts and pollution or destroy us financially by ending up as stranded assets. We call on decision makers to be future-orientated and invest in clean/renewable energy technologies including socially owned solar and wind power.” Judy Scott-Goldman – Extinction Rebellion (XR) Cape Town
“Oil, gas and nuclear energy are false solutions to the climate crisis. We call for a just transition that places people, especially the marginalised, at the centre. African governments need to phase out fossil fuels that have no place in our energy mix, and instead prioritise affordable, sustainable energy solutions that protect our environment, oceans, land, coastline, health, and our cultural heritage. We do not have faith in false solutions and we say No to fossil fuels and nuclear energy in Africa.” Ntombizodidi Mapapu – SAFCEI
“Further investment and focus on oil, gas, and nuclear energy is not only an environmental nightmare. It is also a massive social and economic mistake that will disproportionately affect youth, marginalised communities, and women. Every time we see profits put ahead of people and the planet, we see our leaders give up on us. The time for action is now, and our future is in renewables, not false solutions.” Mthembukazi Bavuma – Project 90 by 2030
“We have time and time again seen our leaders betray people and the planet, leaving them to fend for themselves. With communities across South Africa and the broader continent calling for a Just, Inclusive Energy Transition it is shocking yet unsurprising that we see further investment in these false energy solutions that benefits no one else but the elite. It’s time that we see People’s Power build on the ground like we’ve never seen before. If they won’t listen, we must make them.” Gabriel Klaasen – Climate Justice Coalition