The history of oil extraction in Africa is one of greed, complicity, destruction of livelihoods and natural habitats, and human rights violations. This is perfectly illustrated by the Nigerian military government’s targeting of the Ogoni people, who were protesting the devastating environmental degradation caused by the Shell Petroleum Company’s oil pollution.

It is necessary for South Africans to act quickly, as there is a small window of opportunity to prevent a fossil fuel exploitation explosion in our ocean. By extending our fight for climate justice to opposing deep-sea oil and gas exploitation, we will serve the country, and the African continent as a whole, whilst we acknowledge the courageous fight of the Ogoni people and build on Ken Saro-Wiwa’s legacy.

It is within this context that the project aims to empower local ocean-dependent communities, ensuring fisher livelihoods, and their tools and knowledge are sustained, and communities are able to engage with decision-makers for the protection of our oceans for all, for ever.

This campaign will build on existing networks of small scale fishers and other coastal and ocean communities, as well as engaging with those civil society organisations working on climate change and the energy sector.