Over 20 activists wearing t-shirts that read “No Nuclear – Phansi Nuclear Phansi!” protested in front of the Department of Energy as a reminder to the government that nuclear power is not the answer to South Africa’s energy future.

We are demanding that the South African government places a moratorium on all new nuclear power stations until the safety implications of Fukushima have been fully evaluated.

“The South African government owes its citizens an answer as to why it is choosing a dangerous and expensive solution, when it has an abundance of renewable energy sources, like solar,” said Ferrial Adam, Greenpeace Africa climate and energy campaigner.

"Nuclear energy is a dangerous distraction from the clean energy development needed to prevent catastrophic climate change. Nuclear power simply delivers too little, too late, and at too high a price for people and the environment," said Adam.

Six weeks ago we handed our latest report on the true cost of nuclear energy to the Minister of Energy, Dipuo Peters. The Greenpeace report highlights how South Africa’s investment in inherently unsafe nuclear technology would lock the country into an expensive and outdated energy future.