By Chris Gilili
Over 300 members of environmental NGOs as well as other, mostly young, people from Gauteng marched across Johannesburg commemorating the Global Day of Climate Action.
The marchers called for world leaders who are attending the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt to come up with plans to address climate change and to stop conference gatherings from being “talk shops”.
The march started at Beyers Naude Square in Marshalltown and proceeded to the
Constitutional Court in Braamfontein on Thursday, where activists demonstrated and made their calls for urgent climate action.
Tapelo Motaung, a young person from Tembisa-based NGO Clean Environment, said climate change and environmental pollution affected residents on a daily basis.
“The wellbeing of our people, including the elderly, as well as that of the planet, is being sidelined for the purpose of creating greater profits for pollution-emitting companies.
“Factories in Chloorkop affect the quality of water in Tembisa. You cannot drink the water there without boiling it. We are here to call on the government to act on climate change, and to stop talking about it. We need action,” said Motaung.
EarthLife Africa programme manager Ulrich Steenkamp said the march was also meant to shine the light on defenders of environmental rights who have been killed in the past.
“Today we are marching to raise awareness of the impact of climate change on our environment. Activists are killed and are being targeted by corporations for fighting against environmental injustice. We are being suppressed and sidelined while trying to improve the future,” said Steenkamp.
Naniwe Mlambo from Orange Farm said she joined the march because climate change directly affected residents every day.
“The quality of the food we get from our gardens is not good or satisfactory any more. We need the government to address climate change. We are tired of these talks, which do not benefit the people on the ground.
“People are breathing coal [dust] in many communities, and people are dying without anyone being held accountable. We need help for the transitioning from fossil fuels to the use of renewable energy,” said Modise.
The marchers said the current COP27 conference will be a useless exercise if the policies being discussed are not implemented.
Pictured above: Environmental groups marching in Joburg CBD
