GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE 2021 REPORT: #UPROOTTHEDMRE #UPROOTTHESYSTEM

20 October 2021

CONTEXT

On Friday 24th September 2021, as South Africa celebrated national Heritage Day, more than 300 people – predominantly young people – gathered in front of parliament, in Cape Town, in support of the Global Climate Strike and national Uproot the DMRE campaign. 

The action was led by the African Climate Alliance with the organisation supported by several allied groups, including 350Africa.org, Project 90 by 2030, Extinction Rebellion, Green Connection and Eastern Cape Environmental Alliance.

The demonstration, which kicked off at 11am, formed part of the national week of action in which civil society groups and trade unions in all nine provinces around South Africa mobilised for the transformation of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) under the banner of #UprootTheDMRE in line with the broader Global Climate Strike theme of #UprootTheSystem.

Demands

1. The urgent establishment of a Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the Climate and Ecological Crisis.

2. 1.5°C compatible NDC target for COP26.

3. Department of Basic Education to adjust the National Education Curriculum to improve coverage of Earth Sciences,
   with a specific focus on national literacy in Climate Change.

4. An end to all public and private capital investment in fossil fuel-intensive industry.

5. A commitment to eliminating all fossil fuel electricity production by 2035 at the very latest.

6. Parliament to table a motion to consider and debate the adoption of the Climate Justice Charter which was first
   presented to Parliament in 2020 by the Climate Justice Charter Movement.

7. Transformation of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in line with the national #UprootTheDMRE Demands.

The demands were accepted by 

• A representative of the Presidency and ruling party: Deputy Director General for Climate Change and Air Quality, Dr. Thulie Khumalo

• A representative of the Speaker of Parliament: Victor Ngaleka – Procedural Advisor to the Speaker of the National Assembly

• ANC Representatives Hon. Qubudile Dyantyi and Hon. Khaya Magaxa

• DA Representative Hon David Bryant, the Shadow Minister of Environmental Affairs

The full memorandum can be viewed here

Michelle Maka from African Climate Alliance Reading the memorandum in the Uproot The DMRE protest. Photo: Mawande Sobetwa (from left: ACA youth activists Gabriel Klaasen, Ntsikayethu Nikelo, Petra Debeer, Mitchelle Mhaka, Nick Ford, Raeesah Noor Mohammed)

PROTEST LINE UP