Communities warn: South Africa’s ‘just transition’ must not be built on false promises of oil, gas and nuclear

With just a few weeks until global climate discussions at COP30 begin in Brazil, South African faith and community leaders are urging government to abandon high-risk energy projects that undermine the country’s Just Energy Transition (JET). The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) says that South Africa must take stock of its choices and resist “false solutions” – like oil, gas and nuclear projects – that perpetuate inequality and delay a just, renewable transition. This comes at a time when several offshore oil and gas projects are being proposed, in addition to Eskom’s proposal to extend the operating lifespan of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station’s Unit 2 (Monday 20 October is the deadline for public comment) and with the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) seeming to include more nuclear energy, for the future.

“South Africa stands at a crossroads. Offshore oil and gas expansion and new nuclear investments are not part of a just or sustainable future – they’re costly distractions from real solutions,” says SAFCEI’s energy justice coordinator Ntombizodidi Mapapu. “Communities across the country are saying clearly: we cannot keep betting on energy options that harm our people, pollute our environment and lock us into more fossil dependence.”

The concerns are being amplified through SAFCEI’s “No Faith in False Solutions” campaign. Through this programme, 45 faith and community leaders from across South Africa are being trained to strengthen local advocacy, engage in public consultations, and champion cleaner, community-centred energy alternatives.

Earlier this month, Hilary Swartz attended the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) hearing in Atlantis, on the proposed extension of Koeberg Unit 2’s operating licence. “As someone who represents both the business sector and faith-based organisations in Atlantis, I am extremely concerned about the safety and evacuation risks linked to extending Koeberg’s operating life,” says Swartz. “Our community lives right next to the plant – we would be the first affected if anything goes wrong. We have never seen a clear or realistic evacuation plan, and many people have no transport or resources to relocate in an emergency. That is unacceptable.”

“Beyond the safety risks, extending Koeberg’s operation has wider economic implications. Businesses in Atlantis depend on stability and public confidence – but ageing nuclear infrastructure undermines both. If an accident were to occur, the consequences for our local economy, environment and families would be catastrophic. Government should be investing in renewable energy that creates jobs and protects communities, not clinging to outdated technology that puts lives at risk. Nuclear is a false solution – it does not belong in South Africa’s just transition,” adds Swartz.

“As communities living near Koeberg, we are deeply concerned about government’s plan to extend the nuclear plant’s operating licence beyond its intended lifespan,” says Wiedaad Davids, Chairperson of West Coast Faith Solutions in Saldanha Bay. “At almost 40 years old, is Koeberg in a safe enough condition to do this? It is therefore critical that the public sees the evidence that this dangerous nuclear plant meets all safety requirements before any lifespan extension can even be considered. In my view, decisions – that could have far-reaching impacts for our communities – are being made without considering the real dangers to ordinary South Africans.”

Justin Montzinger, from Port Nolloth in Northern Cape, is also concerned about what the lifespan extension of Koeberg could mean for communities living near the Vaalputs nuclear waste site. “Our communities have lived alongside the Vaalputs nuclear waste storage site for many years, yet most of us have never been properly informed or included in decisions about safety or long-term management,” says Montzinger. “People deserve clear information about what makes radioactive waste so dangerous and how it should be handled, transported and monitored – especially when government is considering extending Koeberg’s operation for another two decades.”

At the same time, communities are voicing similar alarm over offshore oil and gas exploration, which they say represents another “false solution” – one that endangers marine life, fisheries, and coastal livelihoods while offering no real benefits to the people most affected. Communities argue that both nuclear and offshore fossil fuel projects could lock the country into decades of environmental and financial risk under the guise of progress.

Small-scale fisher and faith leader Deborah De Wee from Doringbaai warns, “Offshore drilling and nuclear expansion could harm our environment and our health. For coastal people, climate change and pollution are already real. Government must support clean energy that protects our oceans and sustains our way of life.”

Davids adds, “Offshore oil and gas exploration projects are another threat to people and the environment. Our fisher folk and coastal communities are not meaningfully consulted about these projects, and yet we stand to lose the most. No oil company can guarantee there won’t be spills or accidents, but we are expected to risk the ocean, which sustains us – it’s our food source, our income, and part of our faith. We believe future generations have the right to inherit clean seas and safe livelihoods – not more pollution and inequality. Both nuclear and offshore oil and gas are false solutions that distract from the real answer: clean, affordable, renewable energy for all.”

“It seems like there are so many offshore oil and gas projects being proposed, all at once, along our coastline. These activities could harm marine life and fishing livelihoods that many families depend on. It feels as though risky projects are being imposed on our communities with little meaningful consultation. But that is starting to change – through initiatives like SAFCEI’s No Faith in False Solutions campaign, communities are educating themselves, learning their rights, and refusing to be spectators in decisions that affect our lives. A truly just transition must put people and safety first – not profits or politics,” adds Montzinger.

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Note to Editors:

In August, SAFCEI launched its “No Faith in False Solutions” campaign through a three-day training that brought together 45 faith and community leaders from across South Africa. The campaign builds grassroots capacity to challenge oil and gas exploration, nuclear expansion, and other unjust energy projects, while advocating for renewable, people-centred alternatives.

Images and photo captions below:

Deborah De Wee, a small-scale fisher and faith leader from Doringbaai, speaks at SAFCEI’s “No Faith in False Solutions” campaign event, warning about the risks of offshore oil and gas exploration and nuclear expansion for coastal communities, and advocating for clean, renewable energy that protects livelihoods, oceans, and future generations.

Hillary Swartz, representing both the business sector and faith-based organisations in Atlantis, addresses the audience at the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) hearing in Atlantis on the proposed extension of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station’s Unit 2, highlighting the safety, economic, and environmental risks of extending the plant’s lifespan and calling for a just, renewable energy transition.

Justin Montzinger, from Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape, holds a sign reading “Yes to sustainable energy” at SAFCEI’s “No Faith in False Solutions” campaign event, advocating for renewable energy and community-driven safety in areas near nuclear and fossil fuel sites.

Wiedaad Davids, speaking at a community-led workshop in Saldanha as part of the "No Faith in False Solutions" campaign, she is emphasising the dangers of offshore oil and gas exploration and expansion on the West Coast while advocating for transparent, community-led decision-making, and the importance of faith leader voices