Omanghana
Climate campaigners demonstrated outside the African Energy Week conference in Cape Town on Tuesday, October 13, calling for an end to new oil and gas exploration across the continent.
Protesters accused international energy companies of pursuing profits while leaving African communities to bear the environmental and social consequences of fossil fuel development. Campaigners from Greenpeace Africa and Extinction Rebellion were among those who joined the action.
Gathering outside the Cape Town International Convention Centre, activists challenged efforts to promote Africa as a new destination for large-scale oil and gas investment. They argued that governments should prioritise renewable energy and protect communities already facing climate-related hardship.
Some campaigners described the gathering as “Africa Exploitation Week”, saying the benefits of resource extraction were not being shared fairly with local populations. Their demands included stronger financial contributions from multinational energy companies to support climate adaptation and compensate communities for environmental damage.
The protesters also highlighted Africa’s solar, wind and geothermal resources, arguing that investment should expand access to cleaner energy rather than prolong dependence on fossil fuels.
The demonstration reflects a continuing disagreement over how African countries should meet rising energy demand and finance economic development. South Africa supports further oil and gas investment as part of its efforts to improve energy security, with officials presenting natural gas as a source of backup electricity when wind and solar generation falls.
Shell’s proposed exploration off South Africa’s west coast remains part of that debate. The company plans to drill up to five deepwater wells in the Northern Cape Ultra Deep block, although the project’s environmental approval faces appeals.
Police later removed protesters wearing “Make polluters pay” T-shirts from the conference grounds.
Source: Omanghana
