South African activists protest against French oil giant TotalEnergies, major bank

By Hassan Isilow

Dozens of climate activists in South Africa marched Tuesday to condemn Standard Bank for its alleged funding of French oil giant TotalEnergies, whom they accuse of ecologically destructive fossil fuel operations on the continent, demanding reparations and restorative justice for the damage reportedly caused.

They carried placards saying “Africa is not for sale,” Kick Total out,” “Total Gas kills” and “StopEACOP.”

Zaki Mamdoo, a coordinator for the campaign group Stop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (StopEACOP), told Anadolu their protest is part of a continent-wide week of action where communities and movements from across Africa are rising up to demand an end to TotalEnergies’ alleged plunder and widespread destruction.

The protesters marched to the offices of Standard Bank and TotalEnergies in Johannesburg, where they handed over a list of demands to representatives of both business establishments.

They accused Standard Bank of funding TotalEnergies’ exploration on the continent, which they claimed has caused harmful damage in many communities and demanded reparations and restorative justice for the damage reportedly caused.

They demanded that the bank immediately withdraw funding and all other forms of support for TotalEnergies’ Mozambique liquefied natural gas (LNG) project and the EACOP.

Mamdoo said Standard Bank is the direct financier of TotalEnergies’ controversial $5 billion EACOP project, which has allegedly caused widespread environmental damage on its route from western Uganda to Tanzania, endangering national parks and displacing thousands of people along the way.

StopEACOP also claims that several protesters opposed to the EACOP have been arrested, beaten and detained in Uganda.

They also said that Standard Bank has contributed approximately $485 million in debt financing to the Mozambique LNG project led by TotalEnergies in the Rovuma Basin, which they claim threatens extensive ecological destruction and human rights violations.

They urged the bank to commit to an end of fossil fuel financing and issue reparations or support for affected communities and invest significantly in a just transition for those harmed.

Standard Bank and TotalEnergies’ representatives are yet to respond to the accusations.

Last week, a court in South Africa set aside the exploration right granted to TotalEnergies and its partners to pursue offshore oil and gas drilling along South Africa’s southwest coast.

The court found that the Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) and TotalEnergies failed to adequately consult affected communities and ignored the serious environmental and climate risks posed by the project.