Chanting and singing, hundreds of climate activists spanning more than a city block marched in Cape Town on Thursday to parliament, waving posters and banners with their demands for change.
The demonstrators called for systemic change across the spheres of “energy, water, food, land, housing and for global solidarity”, and for action on gender-based violence which is worsened by environmental disasters.
“A system change is needed to ensure that people and the planet are put ahead of profit. After 30 years of democracy human rights are still trampled underfoot as we have seen” stated Liziwe McDaid from The Green Connection, referring to the rights of small fishers.
“A government that puts oil and gas profits over food for people is not just one.”
Climate march on Human Rights Day demands water, food and energy for all
Senior features writer
Image: Project 90 by 2030\Lorna Fuller
Chanting and singing, hundreds of climate activists spanning more than a city block marched in Cape Town on Thursday to parliament, waving posters and banners with their demands for change.
The demonstrators called for systemic change across the spheres of “energy, water, food, land, housing and for global solidarity”, and for action on gender-based violence which is worsened by environmental disasters.
“A system change is needed to ensure that people and the planet are put ahead of profit. After 30 years of democracy human rights are still trampled underfoot as we have seen” stated Liziwe McDaid from The Green Connection, referring to the rights of small fishers.
“A government that puts oil and gas profits over food for people is not just one.”
The youth-led African Climate Alliance organised the march in partnership with Project 90 by 2030, Green Connection, Feed the Future, Ndifuna Ukwazi, Environmental Monitoring Group, Unite Behind, Extinction Rebellion Cape Town, Congolese Civil Society of SA, Youth Arise, Africa Water Commons Collective and SAFCEI.
This was the third march for System Change in Cape Town and Gabriel Klaasen, from the African Climate Alliance and Project 90, said that the intergenerational movement was coming together to call for solutions that address the social, environmental and economic issues facing society.
Their list of demands includes:
Image: Project 90 by 2030\Lorna Fuller
Jacqui Tooke, from Extinction Rebellion Cape Town, warned that climate change was a threat multiplier. “This means that all our existing problems — poverty, inequality, food insecurity, unemployment, secure housing, gender-based violence — are all going to become worse ...
“We call (on government) for urgent action to solve our current crises in a way that also prevents the worst of the climate collapse and prepares our people for what cannot be prevented,” the Cape Town mother said.
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos