Eco group drills Zuma over Operation Phakisa
"Zuma will learn that he cannot second-guess nature. Every action of his against the mitigation of climate change has consequences."
THE South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), says it is incensed with President Jacob Zuma’s continued support for Operation Phakisa (hurry up) plans to drill for oil and gas as well as to mine protected areas, in the so-called “Blue Economy” of our precious ocean.
The president was visiting Durban last week, to provide a progress report to stakeholders on work being done to implement the Operation Phakisa Oceans Economy fast results priority project. According to the Environmentalists, the president’s not-caring attitude is alarming especially in light of the major storms that have caused havoc and destruction unprecedented in South Africa.
A statement released by the organisation accused the president of seemingly not caring that this plan would more rapidly warm and acidify the ocean and increase the country’s greenhouse gas footprint beyond the Paris Climate Agreement commitments.
“Zuma will learn that he cannot second-guess nature. Every action of his against the mitigation of climate change has consequences. The past month has shown that cyclones, hurricanes, storms and droughts affect most parts of South Africa. Environmentalists have for many years warned about mega-infrastructure projects, unrestrained coal mining, increased development of petro-chemical industries, oil exploration offshore Durban and fracking shale gas proposals for the Karoo and KwaZulu-Natal, and the unregulated expansion of Durban’s back of port facilities.”
SDCEA also took a swipe on the City and claimed the lack of adequate drainage systems might have prevented the many deaths reported in the recent floods.
“Durban’s failure to ensure climate resilience has been displayed repeatedly over the years, but in spite of international recognition for climate sensitivity, our municipal bureaucracy has not retrofitted our city’s infrastructure, housing and emergency services. Massive flooding was made much worse due to lack of adequate drainage systems, and many died unnecessarily this week because our politicians have focused more on lining their own pockets or high-profile sporting and entertainment than serving the society’s needs,” added the organisation.
SDCEA Communications and Media Officer, Joanne Groom said the Durban Port had exhibited a vulnerability in recentt storms that the SDCEA had long warned about.
“We will be redoubling our efforts against destructive climate change – especially where we see it first hand, in our neighbourhood’s destructive refineries, pipelines, offshore oil exploration, helter-skelter trucking expansion and port capacity increase. SDCEA will convene meetings with our allies across Durban and then insist that municipal politicians and officials finally take adaptation and resilience seriously. Another Wworld is possible if the people unite and become active,” she said.
