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In yet another attack on the African oil and gas industry, Extinction Rebellion has condemned South Africa as it strives to advance oil and gas exploration across its offshore market. An article published this week by the group's spokesperson Moraig Peden cites new offshore oil and gas projects as being in direct conflict with the country's climate commitments, despite the fact that operators have secured environmental authorization to explore offshore. Representing the voice of the African energy sector, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) condemns the article as yet another blatant attack on not only the African energy industry but its population at large. Oil and gas will play a fundamental role in alleviating energy poverty in Africa and the AEC – in collaboration with the oil industry and African communities - will continue advocating for offshore exploration and production.   

Groups such as Extinction Rebellion has been consistent in their attacks against the industry, turning to violent and disruptive measures to voice their biases and relentless opposition. Rather than peaceful protests, foreign funded environmental groups have turned to climate-motivated sabotage. Activists from Shut the System, for example, sabotaged internet cables in London in early 2025. Following which, the group stated that they “vow to wage a campaign of sabotage targeting the tools, property and machinery of those most responsible for global warming.” This is a direct attack on the industry.  

Another group, Just Stop Oil, has also been relentless. Attacks include throwing soup at Van Gogh's Sunflowers painting, throwing paint on Stonehenge, gluing themselves to roads to stop traffic, cable-tying themselves to goal posts at sports events and England-wide blockades at ten critical oil facilities in 2022. Just Stop Oil protestors were also given multi-year prison sentences in England in 2024 for their roles in closing multiple junctions of the M25 motorway. In the US, Greenpeace was issued to pay $660 million in damages in 2025 for malicious interference with the Dakota Access Pipeline. The group also has a history of occupying coal power plants and blocking coal shipments in New Zealand, Australia and the UK. But it is the group's attacks on the industry in Africa that stand to bring far-reaching disruptions.   

Greenpeace has been strongly opposing exploration in Africa by companies such as Shell, Meren Energy (formerly Africa Oil Corp), TotalEnergies and more. All three companies have secured environmental authorization and/or financing for their offshore activities but Greenpeace continues to launch attacks against these companies. The company challenged Shell's exploration rights in court and continues to ask for donations to support its attacks on oil companies.  

“We at the chamber expected these attacks as we approach this next edition of AEW: Invest in African Energies. These attacks always come. We denounce the violence of Extinction rebellion.  We hope that we will have a robust conversation about Africans right to drill and provide energy for the millions of Africans that live without access to electricity or clean cooking solutions. The AEC-Africa-Oil and Gas Industry bromance will continue fighting for Africa. We will continue fighting to make energy poverty history. We will continue fighting for generations to come,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.  

It is clear that the writer Peden does not fully understand the African context. If the writer truly understood what every day Africans in Mali, Mozambique, Namibia and other countries go through, she would not have this extremist and radical environmental agenda against the continent's energy development. We must be reminded that over 600 million Africans live without access to electricity while over 900 million people live without access to clean cooking solutions. But it seems that Extinction Rebellion is bent on ensuring that Africans remain without access to electricity or the energy they need for the future. This is exactly what the AEC opposes. This is also why we are proud to be part of a bromance with Africa and the global oil and gas industry. This is why we will continue fighting for oil and gas exploration.  

It is surprising to see that Extinction Rebellion and Peden criticize African exploration efforts when they fail to criticize the bromance between countries in other parts of the world and the oil and gas industry. They do not criticize Norway for producing four million bpd and sanctioning new energy projects or the UK which is drilling in the North Sea or the US in the Gulf. It is Africa, where people want to drill for more oil and gas to help lift the continent out of poverty, that the attacks come. 

“I was hoping the she would bring Greta Thunberg along because she will protest anything. Moraig Peden and the foreign funded green groups now have the Mantashe Derangement Syndrome.  The attacks on Africans by Moraig Peden and Extinction rebellion deceitful and dishonest, Or blatantly dishonest. This is just the beginning, Africans and the energy industry have been through tough times, but you've never seen me quit and there's no quitting on our fight to make energy poverty history and industrialize Africa. We see Moraig Peden's attacks as simply hypocrisy especially coming from a wealthy woman with a Eurocentric view of energy who believes Africans should stay in the dark while she is shopping for car elevators” Concluded Ayuk. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, arrived in South Africa to represent the Arab Republic of Egypt at the 4th meeting of the G20 Development Working Group (DWG) and the G20 Development Ministerial Meeting, held under South Africa's G20 Presidency, themed “Solidarity, Sustainability, and Equality,” with the participation of representatives from G20 countries, and a number of representatives of relevant governments and organizations.

The meetings address several important issues, most notably the fundamental principles of global public goods and public investment, in addition to discussing mechanisms for mobilizing development financing and ways to implement them, with focus on building global resilience through the provision of comprehensive social protection. The meetings also discuss the outcomes of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, which recently held in Seville, Spain.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat is also participating in the First Global Ministerial Meeting for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) organized by the United Nations International Trade Centre (ITC), which is also being held in conjunction with South Africa's G20 Presidency. The meeting aims to establish strategic global partnerships to enhance trade, technology, and investment opportunities for SMEs, and accelerate their growth and integration into global markets.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat is scheduled to participate in numerous events and panel discussions, in addition to holding bilateral meetings with development partners and government representatives to explore avenues to strengthen joint cooperation to advance development efforts in Egypt and enhance international partnerships. H.E. will also present the outcomes and efforts of the Ministerial Group on Entrepreneurship in supporting the startup ecosystem.

The meeting will also witness the launch of the 2025 SME Competitiveness Outlook Report, which provides practical insights on how digital tools and innovation can empower SMEs to succeed in the global economy.

The first Global Ministerial Meeting for SMEs will witness the participation of Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, and numerous representatives of governments and international organizations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation - Egypt.

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The Select Committee on Security and Justice has recommended that the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) confirm the provisional suspension from office of Ms SSE Fredericks, an additional Magistrate at the Johannesburg Magistrates' Court, and the determination to withhold her remuneration.

Committee Chairperson, Ms Jane Seboletswe Mananiso, said the recommendation to withhold her remuneration is in terms of the Magistrates Act.

She went on to say that the recommendation follows its consideration of the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development's report, tabled in Parliament on 1 July 2025. This report, dated 26 June 2025, was based on advice from the Magistrates Commission following an extended period of unauthorised absence by Ms Fredericks since November 2019, during which she continued to receive full remuneration.

The committee previously heard that, the matter was brought to the Commission's attention in April 2024, when the Secretary of the Commission learned of Ms Fredericks' prolonged absence during a departmental leave management meeting. Subsequent investigations confirmed her continued absence from her duties at the Booysens Magistrate's Court, with no official permission or satisfactory explanation provided.

Following a series of internal processes—including attempts to engage Ms Fredericks, legal consultations, and correspondence with the Department of Social Development—the Magistrates Commission resolved in June 2025 to recommend a disciplinary hearing and to advise the Minister that provisional suspension and the withholding of remuneration were warranted.

Ms Mananiso said the committee found that as Ms Fredericks has been absent from duty since November 2019 without authorisation; while continuing to receive full remuneration, her absence has adversely affected the functioning of the court and the administration of justice. Despite being offered the opportunity to respond, Ms Fredericks failed to make any representations to the Commission. All reasonable avenues to resolve the matter were exhausted before a recommendation was made.

She said the committee resolved to recommend that: “Having considered the Minister's Report concerning the provisional suspension from office of Ms Fredericks, pending the outcome of a hearing into her fitness to hold office as a magistrate, the Committee recommends that the NCOP confirm the provisional suspension of Ms Fredericks. The committee further recommends that the NCOP resolves to confirm the determination to withhold Ms Fredericks remuneration pending the outcome of the hearing into her fitness to hold office as a magistrate,” emphasised the Chairperson.

The committee also adopted the reports on two other magistrates. The committee recommended to the NCOP confirm the provisional suspension from office of Ms TF Kekana, an additional District Court Magistrate at Secunda, Mpumalanga pending the outcome of a misconduct hearing into her fitness to hold office as a magistrate.

Ms Mananiso said the committee also recommended that the NCOP resolves not to restore Ms N Naudé, an additional magistrate in the district court at Kimberley, to the office.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.