To Gwede Mantashe: We need to urgently reduce our carbon emissions

This is a hard letter to be writing at Easter, but Easter is a time of new beginnings, rejoicing in new opportunities and hopes.

We have recently written to His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In the time South Africa went into lockdown, we learnt that you have published new amendments to the Mineral Resources Development Act, effectively stripping mining-affected communities of key rights; we see a go-ahead for a massive extension of the Tormin mine on the West Coast, and now you have appointed a champion of coal consumption to be responsible for electricity regulation (Nhlanhla Gumede), when the world is crying out for a reduction in climate-changing fossil fuels. Further undemocratic behaviour is spelt out in our letter to the president.

We therefore write an open letter calling you to account. It is not the NEC or ANC or mining trade unions that are doing so. It is we, concerned citizens of South Africa who see that your decisions will seriously harm our future, in South Africa and indeed the world.

We are calling on you to reform and commit yourself to honest, transparent and democratic governance.  If you can’t do that, then please hand over to someone who can fulfil this important role you have in government. South Africa and the world must turn to low carbon energy as a matter of urgency. We don’t have 10 years. If we don’t start reducing our carbon emissions urgently we shall be locked into climate meltdown, with even greater repercussions than Covid-19 is causing.

We say with conviction that to extend our dependence on coal combustion is wicked and that your autocratic decision-making in both the mining and electricity portfolios will cause incalculable damage to people’s health and that of the planet. 

We look forward to hearing that you will indeed turn to caring for all in South Africa and for the long-term well-being of our natural resources and life support systems. If cared for now, they will care for all of us in the future. DM