80,000 tons of plastic waste into rivers and oceans and according to experts, it is the general public who bear the brunt of this crisis, as their right to a healthy environment is being denied by the government.
Therefore, authorities in South Africa are now being pressured by environmental campaigner Greenpeace Africa and its #BreakFreeFromPlastic partners to reconsider their decision to vote against the plastic accord.
“It is becoming clearer that the DFFE has been captured by business interests. The government knows that South Africa is the 11th worst offender on the continent in terms of plastic leaking into the ocean. That they would still reject a treaty designed to remedy this shows their disregard for the environmental rights of the country,” Greenpeace Africa’s Pan-African Plastic Project Lead, Angelo Louw, said.
He pointed out that despite growing international scrutiny on plastic waste, DFFE spokesperson Albi Modise in a media interview last week signalled that the authorities have already launched approval processes for businesses which intend to trade plastic waste in the country by obtaining a license.
“If the South Africa government lacks ambition in their policies around plastic at a national level, it is not surprising that they plan to take a weak position toward the global push toward dealing with the plastic crisis,” African Regional Coordinator for #BreakFreeFromPlastic, Niven Reddy, said. Pointing to the progressive approach taken by countries such as Ghana and Senegal, Reddy noted that the South Africa should not only learn from these governments but should also not try to derail their efforts.
