Civil groups organise mass marches for electricity on Wednesday, Thursday

The Climate Justice Coalition (CJC) has announced that it will march to assert the right to clean, affordable, and reliable electricity this week.

The organisation said it will be joined by its civil society partners, communities and workers across the Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng. The march will coincide with Human Rights Day.

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“At the heart of these actions are the struggles of communities and workers living in eMalahleni – The Place of Coal – suffering from the harmful impacts of coal,” the coalition said.

“The People’s Powers Marches raise the demand for a rapid and just transition to a more socially-owned, renewable energy-powered future, providing clean, safe, and affordable energy for all.”

Working class to suffer under IRP

It said it also opposes the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE)’s “detrimental, fossil-fuel-heavy Draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) of 2023”.

“The plan offers a bleak outlook, especially for working class and low-income households who will be condemned to unaffordable, unreliable and dirty energy for the foreseeable future.

“The plan also slashes investment in renewable energy and fails to ensure a just transition that creates dignified jobs for workers, resolves load shedding, or safeguards people and the environment.

“The coalition and its partners reject the draft IRP and call for the development of a People’s Energy Plan that delivers clean, safe, and affordable energy for all with no community or worker left behind.”

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‘Tear up the IRP’

On Tuesday, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) CEO Wayne Duvenage said the current IRP draft “contains a number of significant acknowledged errors, omissions and inadequacies and therefore should be recalled, reworked and reissued for public comment, with adequate time for a meaningful consultation process, including a series of public hearings around South Africa”.

Outa believes that government has not taken this process and the need for regular updates and constant analysis seriously, which is why the country is faced with the current electricity supply shambles.

Outa made a submission to the department on IRP 2023 and believes that the corrections to the plan will have to be so substantive that it will require another round of public engagements once the assumption data is more accurate and transparent.

Details of the march:

Gauteng:
• Wednesday, 20 March at 10am at Eskom, Chris Hani Road, Klipspruit, Soweto;
• Organised by United Front and Extinction Rebellion Gauteng;
• Contact: Moeketsi Monaheng 078 041 7402 or Simphiwe Zwane 072 944 8250.

KwaZulu-Natal:
• Wednesday, 20 March at 10am at Eskom, 8A Albert Wessels Drive, Riverside Industrial, Newcastle;
• Organised by Sukumani Environmental Justice;
• Contact: Thokozile Nkosi 068 512 1233.

Mpumalanga:
• Wednesday, 20 March at 9am at the corner of OR Tambo and Nelson Mandela road, eMalahleni
• Organised by Carolina Eco Green, Vukani Environmental Movement, MS Environmental Projects, Middelburg Social and Environmental Justice Alliance, Highveld Environmental Development Networking Alliance;
• Contact: Cleopatra Shezi 072 739 4122

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Free State:
• Wednesday, 20 March at 10.30am at Hoffman’s Square, to depart at 11am to Premier’s Office and Eskom;
• Organised by Botshabelo Unemployed Movement;
• Contact: Thandiwe Tess Tshaka 071 771 6884

• Also on 20 March, at 10am at DMRE: The Strip, 314 Stateway, Welkom Central, Welkom;
• Organised by Working for Climate, Tshwaranang Ma Afrika;
• Contact: Mpai Nkali 082 535 9543.

Limpopo:
• Wednesday, 20 March at 9am at the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, BROLL Building, 101 Dorp Street, Polokwane;
• Organised by Sekhukhune Environmental Justice Network, Mining Affected Communities Advocacy Project and Waterberg Women Advocacy Organisation;
• Contact: Tokelo Mahlakoane 082 055 8741 or Francina Nkosi 072 877 9972.

Western Cape:
• Thursday, 21 March at 10am at Parliament;
• Organised by African Climate Alliance, The Green Connection and others;
• Contact: Lisa Makaula 071 527 5751.

Additional reporting by:  Ina Opperman.