The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued a stark warning: global warming is on track to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, a threshold that will lead to catastrophic impacts such as rising sea levels, more frequent droughts, and extreme weather events. South Africa has already been significantly impacted by climate change, with droughts, heatwaves, and severe storms becoming more frequent and intense, claiming lives and destroying infrastructure. As we enter the second half of what scientists have dubbed the critical decade, the worst of the climate crisis is yet to come. Without ambitious, actionable plans, South Africa risks further deepening existing social and economic inequalities.As the ministry responsible for climate policy, particularly with the submission of the Nationally Determined Contributions, your leadership is crucial in driving immediate and transformative action to safeguard South Africa’s future. We are calling on you, Minister, to rise to the moment - to demonstrate bold leadership and take decisive action. It is your responsibility to do what it takes to keep the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5°C alive through the following actions: • Submit an ambitious NDC • Alignment of NDC and Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) • Clear and Practical Plans for Phasing Out Fossil Fuels • Stronger Emission Reduction Targets • Fair and Equitable Climate Finance • Social Safety Nets for Climate-Displaced Communities • Investment in Early Warning Systems

The unlawful exploitation of our natural heritage by foreign interests for short-term profit undermines our constitutional rights and jeopardises future generations. Furthermore, this project is built on the promise to deliver jobs for the community in the area, but we know that it is a lie. The economic fault lines upon which Makhado’s great arc and blast furnaces will be built run deep. A terrible price will be paid for any jobs created, as those jobs will not last. It is an environmental and economic disaster waiting to happen. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------End of open letter Your signature can help us stop the creation of a new sacrifice zone for coal and steel in Limpopo. Sign the open letter now! To further understand the gravity of the issue Carte Blanche has released this telling exposé. Watch here: https://youtu.be/CW_CanP31Mk

According to the latest research by Dr B.J Langa, Early Childhood Development (ECD) affects all of us in various levels: family, community and national. It affects the household economy, micro-economy and macroeconomics. The important stage of a child for development is from birth to 5 years.  South Africa must prioritise and invest in our Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme indefinitely. Lastly, most of us are definite products of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) known as Day Care, Day Mama or Crèche. This fight is worth it for our mentors.

Public services are not luxuries; they are essential to a fair and functioning society. However, year after year, budget cuts have weakened these services, causing hardship for the working class while the wealthiest remain unaffected.  We refuse to stand by while our communities are neglected and subjected to abject poverty. Ours is a continuous campaign, and we urge South Africans to sign this petition to raise their voices against austerity policies and advocate for more equitable economic policies. 

For years, we fought tirelessly for our demands, and although it took time, politicians are feeling the heat now more than ever. Let us keep the fight because only we can hold the politicians accountable for their promises.

Communities should not be burying their children, nor should they have to live harsh lives without a water supply for so long. Communities like Freedom Park reported at the same meeting on 17 January that they sometimes have to go far on foot at night to fetch water for their needs. They complain that water trucks don’t go into all community sections and favour sections with Jojo tanks. These reports are worrying and indicate that mismanagement is at the core of the issue that causes communities to get the bitter end of the stick. Even more troubling, however, is that the City of Johannesburg is very slow in addressing these serious problems.  The City of Johannesburg needs to urgently fix the leaks often seen with piles of clean and treated water in holes and inflows throughout the city. This means that the narrative that Johannesburg has a water crisis because communities are bridging water is untrue. Moreover, the City of Johannesburg should not be allowed to promote the narrative that communities that use water for basic needs such as drinking, cooking, cleaning and bathing are wasting water. We call on Pemmy Majodina to: • When will all the water pipes be fixed, Minister Majodina, stop blaming people  • We want the minister to give us a plan showing us when they will fix all the water leaks.  • We want the minister to give fortnightly updates detailing the process of fixing water leaks as well as the financial shortfall • Fix all 6,727 leaking meters  • Fix all 2,396 burst pipes  • Fix all 442 leaking valves • Fixes all 259 leaking fire hydrants  - Ensure the CoJ collects adequate revenue from sectors like mining and large-scale commercial agriculture that use large quantities of water for profit. Stricter regulations should also be in place for suburbs and golf courses that use tons of water to irrigate lawns and maintain swimming pools. Low-income communities in informal settlements and townships bear the brunt of water cuts. They have had more water shedding than the suburbs and commercial companies, which needs to change.  Communities in Freedom Park, Slovo Park, Jackson, townships in the Vaal, Phumla Mqashi, and areas like Meadowlands, Fleurhof, Thembalihle, and more have decided to say enough is enough about the water issues they have been experiencing for years.  They call on us to stand in solidarity by signing this petition. 

Outsourcing at the University of Cape Town contradicts the values of equity, inclusiveness, and excellence that UCT strives to uphold. Many workers have served UCT for decades—protecting its facilities, caring for its grounds, and ensuring the well-being of students, faculty, and visitors.  On 31 December 2024, our Campus Protection Services (CPS) at the Graduate School of Business (GSB) were replaced with an outsourced company, Integrisec. This decision significantly reduced workers’ wages—staff now earn three to four times less than their CPS counterparts—and eliminated key benefits, including medical aid, pension, and fee discounts that UCT offers to insourced employees. Outsourcing not only erodes workers’ livelihoods but also exposes them to the constant threat of job losses whenever contracts are renegotiated. This shift betrays UCT’s commitment to equity and undermines the quality and reputation of our institution. Security staff work tirelessly to safeguard our community, often during nights, weekends, and public holidays, ensuring UCT runs smoothly and efficiently. These staff members are an integral part of the UCT community. Yet outsourcing divides this community, creating a hierarchy where workers are treated as separate from students, faculty, and management. This division reflects the enduring legacy of colonialism, which normalised the marginalisation of black and brown workers. As a public institution committed to social justice, UCT must not perpetuate this marginalisation by prioritising cost savings over fair treatment and dignity for all members of its community. In 2015, under intense student and worker advocacy, UCT publically committed to ending outsourcing and insourcing all critical service staff. That agreement was more than a financial or administrative change; it was a moral and social contract to address the injustices of precarious employment. Reverting to outsourcing not only breaks this commitment but also exacerbates the income inequality that continues to plague South Africa. Under conditions of outsourcing, workers face adverse incentives that lead to a decline in campus upkeep and staff morale. When people are underpaid and feel undervalued, the level of care and investment in their work diminishes. Reports of neglect and decay at UCT’s upper campus illustrate the tangible consequences of sidelining those who keep our institution functional and vibrant. If outsourcing spreads, the entire university community—including the GSB—faces the same fate. This petition matters because UCT’s stance on insourcing sets a precedent for ethical leadership in South Africa’s higher education sector and beyond. Together, let us ensure UCT remains true to its values and to the people who make it exceptional. By signing this petition, you join students, staff, alumni, and concerned citizens in calling on UCT to do the right thing: stand by its workers, uphold its promises, and ensure that our university environment remains a source of pride for all.

An organisation called Living Limpopo is working to challenge this mega project. They have launched an inquiry into the legal status of the North Site of the MMSEZ, and will continue to monitor the licensing of protected tree destruction at all sites of the SEZ and the planned new coal mines.  They opposed the approval of the Water Use License, the Township Establishment and are participating in the Environmental Impact Assessment process and emissions licence applications for the ferrochrome smelter, coal washery and coking plants at the MMSEZ South Site.  The judicial review case brought in December 2022 by Living Limpopo, CALS and others against the decision to grant environmental authorisation for site establishment at the South Site, is still pending. All Rise will be in an unopposed hearing in the Polokwane High Court on 6 December to finally determine issues relating to the record of decision Various farmers and indigenous communities are busy fighting this legislation. Our only duty as members of amandla.mobi is to give them the strength and support needed to advance this and protect tourism in Limpopo. Please add your name to the petition to protect our rich fauna and flora. We need to protect the ecology, biodiversity and heritage of areas in South Africa that are rich in these. References   [1] Mining permits threaten Limpopo's ecosystems and agriculture. FoodforMzansi, 29 November 2024. https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/mining-permits-threaten-limpopos-ecosystems-and-agriculture  [2] Thousands of Boabab trees are to be bulldozed in Limpopo by Barry Viljoen for The Citizen. 25 November 2024. https://www.citizen.co.za/network-news/lnn/article/thousands-of-baobab-trees-to-be-bulldozed-in-limpopo/ [3] Thirsty, energy-hungry steel 'monster' set to destroy thousands of Limpopo protected trees in industrial drive by Tony Carnie for the Daily Maverick. 14 November 2024. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-11-14-thirsty-energy-hungry-steel-monster-set-to-destroy-thousands-of-limpopo-protected-trees-in-industrial-drive

We know big sugar businesses have a history of misinformation to try to protect their profits [4]. Just like tobacco, sugary drinks are a major threat to our health and are contributing to the Non-Communicable Disease crises we are facing. We cannot allow greedy big businesses to bully government and capture politicians to protect their profits.   Big business and its associates continue to use their enormous resources to delay, dilute, and delegitimise decisions that are in the public interest. They have proven time and time again that they are bullies and continuously hold the country hostage with threats of job losses and divesting.  [1] https://www.da.org.za/2024/11/da-submits-tax-reform-proposals-to-bolster-growth-and-jobs [2] https://theconversation.com/new-research-shows-south-africas-levy-on-sugar-sweetened-drinks-is-having-an-impact-158320 [3] Researchers challenge cane growers’ claims that sugar tax killed jobs. By Tamar Kahn for Business Day. 11 June 2024. [4] SA’s proposed sugar tax: claims about calories & job losses checked: https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/reports/sas-proposed-sugar-tax-claims-about-calories-job-losses-checked 

Educators are legally obligated to create a safe learning environment for learners. Physical, verbal and psychological abuse is not acceptable in schools. Corporal punishment was abolished in 1997 with the constitution stating that no one may administer corporal punishment at a school against a learner; a person who does this conscious of this provision is guilty of a criminal offence.  Alarming statistics show that 57% of South African learners reported that they are experiencing violence at school, [4]. Personal testimony:  "On the 18th of October 2024, my daughter, a 10-year-old grade four learner, was assaulted by a male educator who used his fists to punch her head multiple times. Pheasant Folly Primary educators instruct learners not to tell their parents about teacher-on-learner violence that occurs at school. The school harbours educators who are a danger to our children by justifying his behaviour as my daughter was “deserving” of the punches to the head, and he showed no remorse even after being in my presence in the principal’s office, where he admitted to the crime he committed against Cleo (pseudonym). My daughter has been a victim of bullying since last year, 2023, and I have personally escalated the case to the school. The case was recorded and nothing came of that case. Feeling like she needed to defend herself from her classmate (a boy) who wanted her snacks when their altercation escalated to the point where they exchanged insults. This scene was playing out while the learners were left unsupervised long enough for the two learners to have a verbal argument. When the educator finally showed up, one of the students alerted him that the two classmates were having an argument. The educator invited the 2 to the front of the class, where he then punched the boy 3 times with a closed fist on his head whilst he violently punched Cleo several times on her head as well. He told her that she deserved it more than the boy. After the assault, she went to sit at her desk and began to cry from the pain and humiliation that had just occurred in front of her 60-odd classmates. Instead of sending any of the other students who weren’t crying and in pain, the teacher sent Cleo (a crying child) to go and fetch a book from the teacher next door. Upon returning, Cleo put the book on the teacher’s table and went to sit down. He followed her to her desk and demanded to know why she didn’t put the book in his hand. He went on to call her disrespectful and said he’d remedy her disrespectful behaviour. He punched her again several times on the head until my daughter begged for forgiveness, but still, her begging fell on deaf ears as he ground his teeth together and punched a 10-year-old girl and a level 7 student several times on her head …AGAIN! At this point, the teacher told my daughter how she would not amount to anything and how she would start smoking weed and not complete school. He asked the class if Cleo would complete school, and they all said in unison, “No”! When the teacher was done demeaning, degrading and humiliating my daughter, he then said, “go and tell your mother to come to school in her stinking morning gown and see if she will do anything to me coz uzosirasela nje”, meaning I will only make noise for them" The psychological effects that abuse has on learners are irreparable, and after opening a case with SAPS and reporting my daughter's unfortunate plight to the school principal, SAPS did not send me an SMS with the case number, but for some reason, the case ended up in court when I did not know what was happening. The investigating officer had an unwelcome attitude and simply told me that the case would not be successful because I did not want to work with him, he claimed. He said my daughter’s statement was missing, and yet I took her personally to Eden Park Police Station, and the clerk took the statement from my daughter. These are some of the things that demoralize us, police negligence is pervasive. This kind of cruelty to children should be met with zero tolerance. The safety of the learners should be a priority because they are vulnerable and still in developmental stages. How educators treat learners and what they deposit into their brains will have a long-lasting effect and will determine what kind of adult the learner will grow into. Such teachers should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law as they are a danger to learners. Prosecution will also work as a deterrent for future abuse in schools. WHAT CAN BE DONE ? • Prosecute teachers who assault and abuse learners in schools to the full extent of the law. • Ensure swift and fair disciplinary action against abusive teachers. • Develop and implement safe and effective reporting mechanisms for learner abuse in schools. • Provide effective training on alternative discipline methods and implement them. • Teachers who are found to use violence on learners when they’ve been forewarned against it must be dismissed immediately! • Develop policies that promote safe and supportive learning environments • Teachers should be trained to exercise the degree of care they give to their own children. We, therefore, call upon all parents and guardians who have children in public schools to come together and join our campaign NOW before we lose more learner's lives as a result of physical, emotional and psychological abuse that teachers are imposing on our children. If enough of us come together, we can put pressure on the Department of Basic Education MEC, Matome Chiloane and the Director of National Prosecution Authority -Shamila Batohi, to prosecute teachers who assault learners in schools. Please sign the petition and share it widely to reach as many parents and guardians as possible. Help us get justice for our children! “If to correct a student is to humiliate them, then you don’t know how to teach” References [1] Department of Basic Education Handbook, second edition [2] Department of Basic Education Handbook, second edition [3] Gauteng Education Department probes allegations of bullying after Grade 6 boy's alleged suicide by Yoliswa Sobuwa for News24. 25 October 2023. https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/gauteng-education-dept-probes-allegations-of-bullying-after-grade-6-boys-alleged-suicide-20231025 [4] Global School-based Student Survey, 2019. 

Long-distance transportation is more than just a service; it is a lifeline for millions of South Africans, especially during the festive season when families reunite across the country. However, the current state of certain operators, like APM, reflects a dangerous negligence that puts the lives of hard-working South Africans at risk. With buses that fail safety checks, a lack of accountability, and operations that disregard passenger dignity, the situation has become dire. By joining this campaign, you can be part of a movement to demand safer and more reliable transport for everyone. Transportation is not a luxury—it's a necessity. Many of the affected individuals are breadwinners who travel to rural areas and small towns to spend time with loved ones. These individuals should not have to compromise their safety due to financial constraints or limited travel options. Companies that exploit affordability to lure passengers without ensuring safety have no place in the industry. Together, we can push for stricter safety laws and enforcement, ensuring the government and transport authorities take immediate action to prevent tragic incidents and improve conditions. Public pressure is one of the most effective tools for change. Politicians and decision-makers are more likely to act when they see a unified voice standing against injustice. Holding companies accountable, such as APM, requires the collective power of individuals like you demanding transparency, safety, and dignity for all passengers. Your voice can encourage the government to put in place stricter regulations, unearth unethical practices, and establish sustainable, affordable transportation alternatives. A united campaign sends a clear message to the Department of Transport and the Business Ombudsman: South Africans will not settle for unsafe, exploitative, and poorly regulated transportation systems. By signing and sharing this petition, you help amplify the voices of those who depend on these services daily. Together, we can push for a transport system that values peoples’ lives, ensures roadworthiness, and prioritizes affordability for all South Africans. This is not just a campaign—this is a step toward societal fairness, safety, and dignity.

The unavailability of proper and safe parks have led to children in the townships being locked inside their yards in order to safeguard them from external harm. This is a grave injustice as it not only leads to social isolation which negatively affects a child’s development, but it is a great contributor to health issues associated with lifestyle illnesses later in their lives. But this does not only speak to children as every member of our society gets affected by the lack of public playgrounds and training infrastructure. It is a fact that all four public parks and recreational facilities in the community of Ward 47 in Vosloorus are dilapidated without a single swing, slide, mary-go-round and exercising equipment being in a conducive state for public use. A few weeks ago over the spring holidays, my nephew had his trousers torn as a result of sliding down a rusty slide which almost caused an injury to his buttocks. Why has the municipality let such important infrastructure go unmaintained? Where are our children supposed to learn physical and social skills outside of the school playgrounds? After all, Outdoor play helps kids to build flexibility and creativity. They also have to learn to interact with other children, for example, at the swings or the slide, where they can learn about the importance of sharing and turn-taking [1].  In South Africa, diabetes is the most common cause of death in adult females, followed by cardiovascular disease and hypertension [2]. It is because of this reason that we cannot afford to have our townships' public recreational infrastructure neglected when the government should be encouraging physical activity and the culture of exercising, especially since the highest prevalence of obesity among South African adults, stratified by sex and race, was found to be in African women. We need to have our training equipment maintained in the same parks where our children play so that we can safely watch over them as we all stay active and keep in shape for our health and social benefits.  Maintaining the equipment alone will not be enough if the environment itself is not physically inviting. This is why it is important to ensure that the grass stays cut and trees get pruned on a regular basis. People are social beings who need to participate in recreational activities in order to be stimulated. As a result, we need benches, picnic and braai areas, taps and garbage bins to be made available in our parks in as far as encouraging the culture of keeping our township litter free, especially in shared public spaces. There should also be employment of security guards to ensure that our parks stay secure and are alcohol free zones. This initiative will also create employment opportunities, thereby reducing the unemployment rate that is currently plaguing our country. Let us remind our local government that they have a responsibility over the wellness of our communities by adding your name to this petition. References [1]  https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/articles.Ryan [2]  https://knowledgehub.health.gov.za/system/files/webinar/obesity-strategy.pdf