Cape Town - Delegates, including Premier Alan Winde and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, were greeted by pools of fake blood and oil and placard-waving climate change protesters as they arrived to attend the Africa Oil Week conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Tuesday.
The protesters, from the Cape Town branch of the global group, Extinction Rebellion said they were staging the demonstration as part of “a global fight to avert a climate catastrophe”.
A spokesperson for the group, Michael Wolf, said: “We demand from our elected politicians Minister Gwede Mantashe and Premier Alan Winde, to make an open statement at the Africa Oil Week declaring a climate emergency and withdrawing any support to climate criminals who are complicit in the demise of our planet.”
“Further, we demand from the government of Western Cape and of South Africa to tell the truth to their people by declaring a climate emergency; to implement emergency measures to combat climate change; to abandon and ban all planned projects in fossil fuels; to oppose fracking in the Karoo; and to oppose the offshore Brulpadda field development,” said Wolf.
Extinction Rebellion activists picketing at the entrance Africa Oil Week at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency(ANA)
There are more than 20 African Countries that are taking part in the three day summit, with two European countries also taking part. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency(ANA)
There are more that 20 African Countries that are taking part in the three day summit,with two European countries also taking part. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency(ANA)
There are more than 20 African Countries that are taking part in the three day summit, with two European countries also taking part. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency(ANA)
Responding to a question about the protester's demands, the premier said, “These are complex issues. There is an urgent need to stimulate the economy and to grow jobs across all sectors, which must be done in a responsible manner that also protects our future. In the Western Cape, thousands of people are reliant on the oil and gas industries, either directly or indirectly for their livelihoods.”
“The Western Cape is committed to developing an appropriate response to climate change, through both mitigation strategies focusing on reducing carbon emissions, and through building resilience to the impacts of climate change. As such, we are already streets ahead of other provinces in terms of our use of alternative energy forms such as solar PV,” said Winde.
There are more than 20 African Countries that are taking part in the three day summit, with two European countries also taking part. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency(ANA)
Delegates to the Africa Oil Week conference were greeted by pools of fake blood and oil and placard-waving climate change protesters, as they arrived. Video: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency
The organisers of the conference said they were happy to engage with the demonstrators.
Joanna Kotyrba, Head of Marketing Mining Indaba & Africa Oil Week said: “We fully respect the right to peaceful protest that doesn’t infringe on the rights of others, but believe this morning’s action came very close to being neither. A more effective approach would have been to have engaged with us on issues of concern, prior to the start of our event. Our door is open.”
The protesters promised to be back every day of the conference “to give our demands more weight".
"Extinction Rebellion Cape Town has organised a series of non-violent protest actions during African Oil Week between November 4 and November 9,” Wolf said.