Environmental activists have threatened to repeat their blockade of Eskom’s head office if the power utility fails to live up to its promises to invest in renewable energy.
At dawn on Monday, Greenpeace Africa activists used three tipper trucks to unload 5 tons of coal in front of Eskom’s Megawatt Park, Sandton, offices, effectively blocking the office park’s main entrance and causing a huge traffic jam in Sunninghill.
The action was intended to highlight the perceived cost of Eskom’s heavy reliance on coal for power, such as environmental destruction; the pollution of scarce water supplies; and the destruction of people’s health and well-being.
The environmental activists started their operation shortly before rush hour. With them were three tipper trucks coming off the highway, along with a van full of support staff, who quickly set up their traffic cones and unfurled a banner reading “Eskom clean up your act”.
The three tippers dumped their coal loads at the main entrance to Eskom’s head office, causing a snarl-up at the alternative entrance and a traffic back-up along Maxwell Drive.
At noon yesterday, the coal was still blocking the entrance to Megawatt Park, but traffic was flowing as normal.
Greenpeace insisted yesterday morning “it’s their (Eskom’s) mess” and that the company would have to clean it up.
While there had been a small police presence, the protest passed peacefully and no arrests were made.
Greenpeace’s Melita Steele said South Africans should be concerned about where their power comes from. “Eskom should end its addiction to coal and shift massive investments to large-scale renewable energy products,” said Steele.
Her organisation wants Eskom to stop its construction of the Kusile coal-fired power plant in Emalahleni, set to produce 4 800MW of power while using 17 million tons of coal a year. Ninety percent of South Africa’s power is derived from coal.
“Everybody has been very understanding and seems to comprehend the need for action to prevent climate change,” said Dianne McAlpine, a Greenpeace activist handing out flyers to passing motorists.
The activists argue that renewable energy is a much more efficient and cost-saving way to secure the country’s energy needs.
South Africa already emits half of Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions, mostly from coal-fired power stations.
The African Development Bank earlier this month approved a $365 million (R2.4 billion) loan to help fund Eskom’s wind and solar projects.
The country is also keen to be perceived as more environmentally friendly in the run-up to UN climate talks in November in Durban, which will seek to create a deal to follow up on the Kyoto Protocol.
Responding to the activists, Eskom spokeswoman Hilary Joffe said her company had two renewable energy programmes on the table, but were stifled by a lack of funding.
The energy utility had committed to ensuring that 43 percent of all new capacity would be renewable energy.
“We have money that’s sitting there for renewable energy projects, but we need the government to release it,” said Joffe.
Eskom had also started a 100MW wind power station in the Western Cape, with a 100MW solar plant planned for the Northern Cape.
As the demonstration wound down, Steele warned there would be further protests if Eskom failed to deliver on its promise to ratchet up its efforts to secure renewable energy sources.
One of Eskom’s objectives is to install 1 million solar water heaters by 2015.
The company is offering 110-litre geysers for free in township homes, and wealthier families needing larger volumes receive a subsidy to encourage them to switch to solar. - The Star