The soon-to-be launched Green New Eskom video series shows the diversity of voices that are leading the call for transforming Eskom and our power system as part of the campaign for a Green New Eskom. The campaign is being led by the Climate Justice Coalition, a coalition of South African civil society, grassroots, trade union, and community-based organisations.
Each video shows how Eskom and our power system is failing us, and how different members are working to fix that so our power serves people and the planet. The videos also discuss a mass mobilisation that the coalition is undertaking targeting the Department of Mineral Resources & Energy – South Africa’s biggest obstacle to a just climate, energy & mining future.
In the first video Transforming Eskom: Africa’s Biggest Polluter, we journey from the coal face to the electricity end user. We speak to Francina Nkosi, a national convenor of Women Affected by Mining United in Action, about the harsh impacts of living next to one of the world’s biggest coal power plants.
Cleopatra Shezi from United Front discusses how Eskom’s coal corruption is driving rising energy prices and unreliable electricity. Cleo tells us how the poorest are being hardest hit, and how we need to transform power to serve the people.
In the second video of the series Working Class Climate Justice we speak to trade union and working class leaders. Convenor of the Working Class Summit Ferron Pedro discusses how climate change is a working class, bread and butter issue that we need to tackle before it’s too late.
President of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa, Mametlwe Sebei discusses how the fight for a more socially owned renewable energy is one of the greatest job creation opportunities for South Africa.
Zwelinzima Vavi, the General Secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions, talks about the urgent need for a just transition. Our energy future must serve workers and communities, and leave no one behind as we transform our energy sector.
In the third video, Youth Securing a Just Climate Future, we visit young people who are leading the struggle to transform South Africa both to fight climate change, while simultaneously upending the deep systemic inequalities and injustices that continue to permeate the country.
Youth have historically been vital forces for change. In the struggle for climate justice, this holds doubly true as leading young activists Gabriel Klaasen, Sarah Robyn Farrell and Mitchelle Mhaka show through the vital work they are doing to build a more socially and ecologically just future.
Find out more and get involved in the Green New Eskom campaign at GreenNewEskom.org.
Find out about the mass mobilisation at UprootTheDMRE.org