A climate protest was recently held in Stellenbosch, where protestors handed over a memorandum to Stellenbosch Municipality and Stellenbosch University (SU).
This memorandum called for more sustainable practices regarding municipal and university policies on sustainability, divestment from fossil fuel companies, and including the youth in policy development and sustainability initiatives.
The protest, which was attended by approximately 50 to 100 people throughout the afternoon, was titled #PeopleNotProfit and hosted by the African Climate Alliance (ACA). The protest took place on 25 March, outside the Stellenbosch Town Hall.
#PeopleNotProfit protesters gathered outside the Stellenbosch Town Hall to deliver a memorandum of demands to Stellenbosch University and Stellenbosch Municipality. PHOTO: Jamie Venter
The protest was organised by Pètra de Beer, ambassador and spokesperson for the ACA. This protest was one of two held by the ACA on 25 March, with the other having taken place in Cape Town. De Beer told MatieMedia that her aim of the protest was to start engagement in Stellenbosch, where one of the “most influential universities on the continent” is located, and to gather people from the community to create a framework for change.
Pètra de Beer, organiser of the #PeopleNotProfit climate protest, is an 18-year-old matriculant and climate activist. She is also a spokesperson and ambassador for the African Climate Alliance in Stellenbosch.
The protest was open to the public and had speakers from various environmental organisations in Stellenbosch, including Matthew Wingfield from the Climate Justice Charter Movement Stellenbosch, David Le Page from Fossil Free SA and Damian du Preez from the SU United Nations Association of South Africa.
A call for change
MatieMedia was present at the protest where De Beer read the memorandum, titled the “Memorandum of Municipal and Tertiary Demands in Respect of Climate Action and Environmental Justice”, and called for change from Stellenbosch Municipality and SU.
The primary demands included in the memorandum were for Stellenbosch Municipality to “establish a municipal youth advisory committee on the climate and ecological crisis […], a municipal climate strategy towards a just transition [and] to adopt the climate justice charter”. The memorandum also called on the municipality and SU to disclose all fossil fuel investments.
De Beer then handed a copy of the memorandum over to representatives of SU and the municipality.
These representatives were vice mayor of Stellenbosch, Jeremy Fasser, Professor Guy Midgley of SU’s school for climate studies, SU Student Representative Council (SRC) chairperson Viwe Kobokana and Tessa Brooke, head of the sustainability portfolio for the SU SRC. Brooke was present as a representative for Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, deputy vice-chancellor: learning and teaching at SU.
Pètra de Beer, organiser of the #PeopleNotProfit climate protest, discussed how the idea for the protest in Stellenbosch came about and what her aim for the protest was. AUDIO: Tamia Retief
Continuing efforts towards climate justice at SU
After the protest, Brooke told MatieMedia that the most important part of the memorandum for the sustainability portfolio at SU is the divestment of funds from fossil fuel companies. The sustainability portfolio is most interested in “transparency in the financial policies that the university has” and particularly in ensuring that SU’s endowment is invested sustainably, according to Brooke.
Tessa Brooke, head of sustainability at Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Student Representative Council was present at the recent climate protest as a representative of the university. At the protest, Brooke delivered a statement on behalf of Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, SU’s deputy vice-chancellor: learning and teaching, whose full statement can be found on the SU website. PHOTO: Jamie Venter
EcoMaties, a student society for sustainability at SU, also had members present at the protest. Skyla Thornton, representative of EcoMaties, told MatieMedia via written correspondence that they hope “to continue the efforts towards climate justice in collaboration with other groups and societies on campus, with the goal of enforcing the demands highlighted by the African Climate Alliance on Friday”.
The protest’s master of ceremonies, Carl Matingo, is a student at Stellenbosch University (SU). He led chants at the protest and introduced the various speakers. The speakers consisted of Matthew Wingfield from the Climate Justice Charter Movement Stellenbosch, David Le Page from Fossil Free SA and Damian du Preez from the SU United Nations Association of South Africa. PHOTO: Jamie Venter
MatieMedia reached out to the municipality for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Update: MatieMedia has since updated the quote from EcoMaties; the source was not from Megan Farquhar but rather Skyla Thornton as clarified to MatieMedia after publication.