Like many South Africans, Eugreen thought that by banking with Nedbank, he’d be going with the green bank.

But what many of us are now finding out is that South Africa’s banks are funding Africa’s growing addiction to fossil fuels at a time when the planet needs the exact opposite — real action to stop runaway climate change.

How can Nedbank call itself ‘the only green bank’ and have almost R1 billion of fossil fuel investments?

Burning fossil fuels causes climate change, uses and pollutes huge amounts of scarce water and affects people’s health. The science says we must keep 80% of all fossil fuels in the ground to hold average global temperatures to a 2 degree increase.

Yet in South Africa, hundreds of new mines may be approved by government and financed by the banks. Coal has been killing people in Witbank for years, now poor communities in places like the Waterberg face paying the real cost of mining.

The only solution is a Fossil Free Africa that uses our solar and wind energy potential to power a just transition towards a clean energy future and to provide locally-generated electricity for millions of people.

It starts with these dirty banks coming clean. So Nedbank what about you? Commit to disclose your fossil fuel investments, to stop financing future dirty projects like Coal 3 and to back renewable energy. No more greenwash, step up and play your part in creating a Fossil Free Africa.

Join the call, ask Nedbank to commit to a Fossil Free Africa today.