SAFCEI and partners have approached the courts over a proposed nuclear project.
Their chief concern is over Eskom’s proposed nuclear project near the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.
Organisations argue authorisation provided in 2017, was based on outdated information.
As a result, they want government not to oblige to pressure to triple nuclear energy production, come 2050, but instead scale up on renewables.
Ntombizodidi Mapapu, Senior Energy and Climate Justice Coordinator, who was at the SA Energy Investment Forum side-event at Africa Energy Week, said “our energy future must be transparent, lawful, and people-centred.
During the session, the Department of Electricity and Energy and its entities presented their Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to potential investors, framing it as a strategy to drive industrialisation. While nuclear energy is proposed to make up only 4.4% of the future energy mix, the government is actively advocating for its inclusion.”
The group is made up of the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI), Earthlife Africa and Greenpeace.
SAFCEI said it opposes nuclear power, highlighting that it is unaffordable and could cost the country trillions of rands in the long term.
“Instead, we call for an energy mix built entirely on renewable sources sustainable, just, and economically viable for South Africa.”
Court action comes a day after Eskom said Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 delivers Energy Availability Factor (EAF) of about 99.4%, since major upgrades were completed.
Bheki Nxumalo, Eskom Group Executive for Generation, also said Koeberg Nuclear Power Station’s Unit 2 had on Monday 9 March 2026, successfully operated for 365 consecutive days, at an average of 99.4% Energy Availability Factor (EAF), since major upgrades were completed.
Unit 2 delivers about 946MW of electricity to the national grid.