Earthlife does not support Thabametsi power station

LEPHALALE – Earthlife Africa submitted an appeal against the building of the proposed Thabametsi power station outside Lephalale last week.
The department of environmental affairs granted environmental authorisation for the establishment of Exxaro Resources’ planned 1200MW coal-fired Thabametsi power station in March.
Earthlife Africa, a South African environmental and anti-nuclear organisation, appealed the decision by the department of environmental affairs stating that: “The Thabametsi power station will be a climate bomb for South Africa.”
Their appeal is based in part on the shortage of water in the Lephalale-area as well as the air quality that will be affected by the new mine and power station. Earthlife Africa is objecting to the fact that the power station would operate contrary to the objectives of the National Water Act that aims at ensuring that the nation’s water resources are protected, used, developed, conserved, managed and controlled in a way that meets the basic human needs of present and future generations.
On Friday, Earthlife led a group of about 1 000 people to the French Embassy in Johannesburg where they protested against the French government’s funding of Thabametsi. According to Dominique Doyle, Energy Policy Officer at Earthlife Africa, they picketed against the French company investing in dirty coal in South Africa while they have the resources and technology to invest in clean renewable energy.  “We ask that the French government to pull out of coal in South Africa and support renewable energy projects instead,” Doyle said.