Before the G20 Climate and Environmental Sustainability Working Group Ministerial Meeting kicked off at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) yesterday, to discuss a range of technical papers on biodiversity, land degradation, drought and water sustainability, chemicals and waste management, as well as climate change, air quality and oceans a group of small-scale fishers, community activists joined The Green Connection, Extinction Rebellion, Project90By2030 and SboNdaba Dance in a symbolic “Tug of War for Mama Africa”.

The group aimed to send a clear message before the opening ceremony to South Africa’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dion George, and the rest of the G20 Environment Ministers, that citizens are watching and expect these ministers to uphold good governance, deliver justice and equity, and put people and the planet before profit.

“This year marks ten years since the Paris Agreement was adopted, yet we’re still struggling to secure the commitments needed to meet its targets. Meanwhile, Africa and the Global South continues to suffer this injustice, bearing the brunt of a crisis we did not cause,” says The Green Connection’s Community Outreach Coordinator, Neville van Rooy. “The G20 exists to foster international cooperation on the world’s most pressing economic and environmental challenges. Africa therefore expects genuine commitments to good governance, inclusive participation, and a just energy transition that protects livelihoods and restores harmony with nature.”

Small-scale fishers from Elands Bay in Western Cape, Max Kwatsha says, “I do not support what these oil and gas companies want to do in our waters. Yesterday was also World Food Day, which is about “building a more sustainable and equitable food system for everyone”. But how can we do that when oil and gas exploration could destroy our fishing grounds? And if the oceans are destroyed, how will we feed our children? We depend on the ocean to live, not on empty promises from people who only want to take. The G20 ministers must remember this when making their decisions.”

The performance – a dramatic illustration of the ongoing struggle between those defending Africa’s people and ecosystems, and the oil and gas interests that may be pulling the continent deeper into extractive dependency – forms part of the build-up to the final G20 Summit on 22 November 2025, where civil society will present its collective demands for a just and sustainable African future.

Strategic Lead at The Green Connection, Liziwe McDaid says, “Africa’s future cannot be built on debt, pollution, and broken promises. Across our coasts, communities are already living with the impacts of climate change and the constant threat of oil pollution. We are of the opinion that what is needed is renewable energy that delivers true economic empowerment and dignity not more empty promises from governments and extractive industries.”

The Green Connection, Extinction Rebellion and Project90By2030 are members of the Africa CSO G20 Climate, Energy and Sustainable Finance Group (ACG20) a growing coalition of more than 80 African civil society organisations working across financial, climate, health and energy justice. Rooted in the lived experiences of communities across South Africa and the continent, ACG20 calls on the G20 to advance a people-centred and just energy transition that safeguards livelihoods especially those of coastal communities – and restores balance with nature. The coalition has submitted a comprehensive position paper to South Africa’s G20 Presidency.

Community activist from Doorn Bay, Laurenchia Engelbrecht says, “I am here to speak out against oil and gas drilling in our ocean because our families depend on the sea for survival. If all these projects being proposed go ahead, it could harm the marine environment and devastate our livelihoods, and our way of life. This could be a disaster for my coastal community, as our very survival is determined by the sea. We really hope that the G20 decision-makers will take this all into account.”

Project90By2030’s Gabriel Klaasen adds, “As young people, we are tired of waiting for promises while the planet burns. South Africa’s G20 Presidency is our chance to show real leadership, by listening to communities, not corporations. Climate finance and energy decisions made here must uplift people, protect livelihoods, and open doors to a cleaner, more equitable African future.”

Advocacy Officer at The Green Connection, Lisa Makaula says, “We reject the false narrative that civil society is anti-development. What we stand for is real, people-centred progress, transparent governance that prioritises clean oceans, renewable energy, and community wellbeing over profit. As South Africa assumes the G20 Presidency, we call on leaders to end fossil fuel subsidies, deliver fair climate finance as grants not more debt and ensure that no African is left behind in the just transition. It’s time for the G20 to deliver justice.”

Another small-scale fisher from Elands Bay, Andries Booysen adds, “We came to Cape Town, as the G20 meets, to say no to oil and gas drilling in our ocean. These projects can destroy marine life and deepen poverty and hunger in coastal communities. Enough is enough our oceans are our livelihoods. We are happy that civil society continues to stand with small-scale fishers, helping us ensure that our voices are heard, locally and internationally. Power to the people!”

Meanwhile, across the country, coastal and inland communities will hold parallel protests from 16 October to 22 November, calling on world leaders to end fossil fuel subsidies and redirect funding towards community-owned renewable energy projects.