South Africa is just one of the countries where Greenpeace Africa operates. It holds a significant strategic place in our campaign, as South Africa is the largest emitter in all of Africa, amounting to 40% of emissions. We work on moving away from coal and nuclear, towards renewable energy solutions. We work closely with affected communities to highlight how dirty coal impacts on people’s lives such as water access and air quality.
Our passionate volunteers in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town have led their own campaigns to ask local businesses to phase out of single-use plastics, and work closely with other environmental groups to keep the environmental movement here vibrant.
Johannesburg, 24 October 2019 — South Africa’s inadequate nuclear liability regulations[1] have finally been updated and gazetted[2] by Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe. This news comes after…
In the wake of a new bout of load-shedding, the long-overdue Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity (IRP) was finally published for implementation today – following nearly a year of deliberations,…
A shoal of surreal, plastic-pollution monsters seized Nelson Mandela University (NMU) campus on 28 August. The anti-plastic-pollution performance was born out of a desire to raise awareness about the plastic…
October 2019
Johannesburg, 24 October 2019 — South Africa’s inadequate nuclear liability regulations[1] have finally been updated and gazetted[2] by Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe. This news comes after…
October 2019
In the wake of a new bout of load-shedding, the long-overdue Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity (IRP) was finally published for implementation today – following nearly a year of deliberations,…
September 2019
A shoal of surreal, plastic-pollution monsters seized Nelson Mandela University (NMU) campus on 28 August. The anti-plastic-pollution performance was born out of a desire to raise awareness about the plastic…
September 2019
Cape Town, 24 September 2019. This Heritage Day, Greenpeace Africa shared a teaser for an upcoming documentary it produced to amplify the voices of small-scale fishers in the Western Cape.…
September 2019
Something big is coming… all the way from the Arctic to the blue shores of South Africa. An adventure from the north pole to the south pole – a quest…
September 2019
Johannesburg, 5 September, 2019 — Responding to statements made to the media by Eskom’s Chief Operating Officer, Jan Oberholzer, where he warned that blackouts might be an outcome of complying…
August 2019
Johannesburg, 20 August 2019 — Anti-pollution activists from Greenpeace Africa have completely blocked the entrance to Eskom’s Megawatt Park headquarters with a makeshift emergency hospital scene to highlight the premature…
August 2019
It is no exaggeration to say that South Africa has toxic, filthy air. This is particularly true in the Highveld, Vaal and Waterberg, where the Department of Environment, Forestry and…
August 2019
Johannesburg, 19 August 2019 – NASA satellites have found the Kriel area in Mpumalanga to be a global hotspot for deadly sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions. A new study commissioned by…
July 2019
The April floods in KwaZulu Natal caused the unnecessary loss of over 70 lives. It was a tragic moment for the province, and the country, as we mourned lost family…
July 2019
11 July 2019, Johannesburg — Today, Minister Gwede Mantashe delivered his budget vote speech for the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and Minister Barbara Creecy delivered her budget vote…
June 2019
19 June 2019, Johannesburg — It was widely anticipated that President Cyril Ramaphosa would announce further governmental support for ailing power utility, Eskom, at the President’s State of the Nation…
June 2019
Johannesburg, 11 June 2019 — As Eskom’s debt approaches a staggering R500bn and South Africa’s economy contracts, the urgency of a business model revamp for the utility could not be…
May 2019
Johannesburg, 30 May 2019: Responding to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet announcement late last night, Greenpeace Africa’s Senior Political Advisor, Happy Khambule has said: “Greenpeace Africa takes this opportunity to congratulate…
May 2019
Johannesburg, 24 May 2019 — The Department of Environmental Affairs has announced that twenty protected marine areas have been established in South Africa. They have also announced that the unlawfully…
May 2019
Johannesburg, 20 May 2019 – Responding to news reports that Eskom has a received a new bill for R36 billion for unforseen costs at Kusile, which the utility is “shocked”…
May 2019
Johannesburg, 16 May 2019 — Media reported Wednesday that Energy Minister Jeff Radebe, has written a letter to NERSA informing the regulator that it can consider granting licences to small-scale…
April 2019
27 April 2019, South Africa – Greenpeace Africa volunteers from across South Africa visited the head offices of each of South Africa’s top political parties to deliver a petition calling…
April 2019
Last month, South Africans celebrated Human Rights Day – a commemoration of a very dark day in South Africa’s history which pays homage to the peaceful protesters killed during the…
April 2019
Germany is well known for its phase-out of nuclear energy that began as a response to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown. Now, the powerhouse of the European Union has finally…
April 2019
Johannesburg, 9 April 2019 – At least 4.7 million jobs will be created by 2050 across energy sectors in Africa through a shift to renewable energy according to a new…
April 2019
Johannesburg, 5 April 2019 — Responding to the landmark decision by the Pretoria High Court convicting BP of environmental crimes, Melita Steele, Senior Climate and Energy Campaign Manager for Greenpeace…
April 2019
Johannesburg, 3 April 2019 — At today’s Eskom Electricity Supply press briefing, Eskom Board Chair Jabu Mabuza stated that, after analysis, the construction of Medupi and Kusile will be completed…
April 2019
02 April 2019, Johannesburg — In response to news that Eskom has signed a $180 million deal with the New Development Bank for the Renewable Energy Integration and Transmission Augmentation…
March 2019
South African volunteer Shannon Van Vuuren recounts how life changed in Cape Town during one of the country’s worst droughts A woman residing in a small flat, working five days…
March 2019
22 March 2019 — Responding to recent statements made by former President Jacob Zuma that South Africa would not be facing loadshedding if we had gone forward with the R1-trillion…
March 2019
Greenpeace’s updated analysis of a full year of TROPOMI NO2 satellite data and other scientific datasets confirms that the coal-fired power plant and industrial cluster in Mpumalanga is the world’s…
March 2019
Eskom is applying for wide-ranging postponements and suspensions from South Africa’s Minimum Emission Standards (MES) that would allow it to operate its entire existing fleet without even rudimentary controls for…
March 2019
Johannesburg, 20 March 2019 — Responding to Jabu Mabuza’s announcement at yesterday’s system update media briefing that Eskom is considering whether or not to complete construction of both Medupi and…
March 2019
Johannesburg, 19 March 2019 – In October 2018, Greenpeace released a groundbreaking analysis of satellite data from 1 June to 31 August 2018, which showed Mpumalanga is the world’s worst…
March 2019
11 March 2019, Johannesburg — Today, Greenpeace Africa has released a scientific review[1] of Eskom’s own cost-benefit analysis for its proposed postponement and/or suspension from compliance with the Minimum Emission…
March 2019
10 March 2019 — Responding to allegations that surfaced in the Sunday Times today in the article titled ‘Zuma ‘spooked’ Cyril’s campaign[1]’, which examines the High Level Review Panel Report…
March 2019
5 March 2019, Cape Town – A group of Greenpeace Africa volunteers in Cape Town has started an ambitious campaign calling on South Africa’s top political parties to adopt a…
March 2019
Johannesburg, 1 March 2019 — In response to news that Eskom has decommissioned three units of Hendrina power station in Mpumalanga, Greenpeace Africa’s Senior Climate and Energy Campaign Manager, Melita…
February 2019
Johannesburg, 22 February 2019 — Responding to the news that the total amount of Eskom’s bailout is in fact R150 billion: R23 billion over ten years, instead of R23 billion…
February 2019
Johannesburg, 21 February 2019 — In response to Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s announcement during the 2019 Budget speech that Eskom will be granted a R69 billion bailout over three years…
February 2019
Johannesburg, 14 February 2019 — In response to Eskom’s admission that Medupi and Kusile power stations continue to show a lack of reliability and are not contributing meaningfully to Eskom’s…
February 2019
8 February 2019, Johannesburg — In response to the announcement that French oil giant Total has just made a significant oil and gas discovery 175 km off the southern coast…
February 2019
Johannesburg, 7 February 2019 — In response to the President’s State of the Nation Address, Greenpeace Africa’s Political Advisor, Happy Khambule, has said: “Greenpeace Africa welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement…
February 2019
Johannesburg, 4 February 2019 — Today, Greenpeace Africa submitted comments to Naledzi Environmental Consultants [1] opposing Eskom’s application for postponements and suspensions [2] from complying with South Africa’s Minimum Emission…
January 2019
Johannesburg, 30 January 2019 – Recent media reports in South Africa have indicated that Eskom continues to decline in tangibly frightening ways. In the last day, local media have reported…
January 2019
Johannesburg, 29 January, 2019 — The German Commission on Growth, Structural Change and Employment (known also as the Coal Commission) has agreed to a coal phase-out plan for Germany. This…
January 2019
Johannesburg, 28 January 2019 – Greenpeace Africa celebrates the North Gauteng High Court’s refusal to hear Atha-Africa Ventures’ application to appeal a decision barring them from establishing a 15-year mine…
December 2018
Johannesburg, 6 December 2018 — As the United Nations Framework Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations take place in Katowice, Poland, Earthlife Africa JHB – supported by Greenpeace Africa, the Campaign for…
December 2018
South Africa, Johannesburg, 5 December 2018 — As Eskom once again implements rotational load-shedding – which may go on for years – in South Africa, Climate and Energy Campaigner for…
November 2018
“Greenpeace Africa takes this opportunity to congratulate Minister Nomvula Mokonyane on her appointment as Minister of Environmental Affairs, as announced today by President Cyril Ramaphosa. We would however like to…
November 2018
Cape Town, South Africa, 21 November 2018 — It comes as no surprise that the Department of Environmental Affairs has taken the position of defending mega-polluters on air pollution in…
November 2018
As a result of Greenpeace’s groundbreaking analysis of satellite data, the South African Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs has invited Greenpeace Africa to present on the findings of this report…
November 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa – 14 November 2018 — Greenpeace Africa strongly opposes the unlawful decision by the Department of Environmental Affairs to weaken sulphur dioxide (SO2) emission standards for coal-fired…
November 2018
The evidence is in: Renewable energy is viable, reliable, and ready to go – all that’s missing is the political will to kick start an energy revolution in South Africa.…
