Climate march on Human Rights Day demands water, food and energy for all

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:

• Energy Justice: No new fossil fuels — coal, oil or gas! No new nuclear power! We want socially-owned renewables through a just energy transition instead.
• Water Justice: Prioritise equitable access ... and community-led decision making in water management and governance.
• Food Justice: Promote food sovereignty ... reduce food waste and loss throughout the food supply chain. Support local food systems, including regenerative farms, farmers markets, community gardens, and urban agriculture.
• Spatial Justice: Develop affordable, safe, sustainable and climate-resilient housing and transport options for all.
• Address Gender-Based Violence: Establish systems of security and accountability for women and marginalised genders who are affected by gender-based violence (GBV).
• Global Solidarity: End xenophobia and South Africa's national and foreign policies must show solidarity ... with those facing genocide in Palestine and Congo.

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.

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