Hundreds march against oil and gas exploration
The march consisted of almost 600 people including environmental organisations, activists, and fishers, among others, who stood in solidarity against oil and gas exploration.
TAKING a stand against oil and gas exploration, the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), who were joined by various stakeholders, held an awareness march from the Suncoast Casino Promenade to Amphitheatre promenade recently.
The march consisted of almost 600 people including environmental organisations, activists, ocean lovers, researchers, legal advisers and fishers from as far as Port Nolloth on the west coast of South Africa, to Hluhluwe on the east coast of South Africa, in solidarity against oil and gas exploration.
Janeira Reddy, SDCEA’s oil, gas, and livelihoods project officer, said the march was aimed at educating people about the associated risks of oil and gas exploration in the ocean, the impact on marine life and the livelihood of people who rely on the ocean for their survival.
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“We are calling on our government and the African government to act in the interest of the people of South Africa and the continent to push for ‘real’ solutions to the climate crisis to protect the people and the planet. Don’t allow the exploration of oil and gas in our beautiful ocean and stop all fossil fuel expansion programmes.
“This is what we fight for, what it means to be an activist and to stand up for what’s right. Oil and gas exploration cannot continue to destroy our coastline. We cannot allow the major industries from abroad to drain us of our natural resources. We are better united and nothing catastrophic like oil and gas extraction can proceed with speed if we are all involved to stop this destruction,” she said.
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