On Friday, 16 October 2026, marking World Food Day, hundreds of people from across Cape Town and surrounding communities took to the streets, marching from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) to the South African Parliament. The march called for urgent government action on the climate crisis and the developing El Niño weather phenomenon, which threatens food security and livelihoods across Southern Africa.
Upon arriving at Parliament, representatives of the participating organisations handed over a memorandum addressed to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, and the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Employment and Labour, and Finance.
The memorandum outlined several urgent demands, including invoking the Disaster Management Act to strengthen preparedness for El Niño, establishing and supporting food hubs in every ward, developing buffer stocks for a national food reserve, and accelerating land reform to support small-scale farmers.
The organisations also called on the government to adopt the Climate Justice Charter, which has been endorsed by almost 300 organisations, including Green Anglicans SA. The Charter was first handed over to Parliament in 2020, yet its adoption remains unresolved.
Climate change is not only an environmental concern but also a matter of justice, human dignity, livelihoods, and food security. Access to food is a fundamental human need, and protecting the environment is essential to ensuring a sustainable future for all. Climate action must therefore move beyond promises to meaningful policies and actions that protect people, support local farmers, all creation and secure food for future generations.
 |
 |
 |
 |