Greenpeace Africa: Govt cannot ignore climate change emergency
Greenpeace Africa has called on the South African government to take urgent climate action as extreme weather conditions continue to hit the country.
The environmental campaigning group has been reacting to this week's storms in KwaZulu-Natal.
At least four people have been confirmed dead, while scores of families have no roofs over their heads.
READ: Death toll from Durban storm climbs to 4
Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa Thandile Chinyavanhu says the destruction in the province comes as some residents have barely rebuilt their lives from last year's floods.
She says there's a clear climate emergency that government cannot ignore anymore.
"We need our government to recognise that climate is a reality that is affecting people and that it is a reality that needs to be addressed immediately, and what we need to see from our government is a more concerted effort from them to push through the climate change bill which has been languishing for some time and not been passed.
ALSO READ: Kubayi: Engineers to assess damage to storm-hit Inanda
"We need to see them de-prioritising coal and looking towards procuring more renewable energy to meet our energy needs and also to meet our climate commitments that we made."
