South African protesters march to Parliament over El Niño and hunger

Hundreds of protesters marched to Parliament in South Africa on Friday to demand urgent government intervention regarding the climate crisis and El Niño conditions. The march, organized by the Climate Justice Charter Movement (CJCM) and the South African Food Sovereignty Campaign (SAFSC), coincided with World Food Day.

Participants submitted a memorandum to Speaker of the National Assembly Thoko Didiza and several government ministries. The document calls for the government to trigger the Disaster Management Act to prepare for El Niño, establish food hubs in every ward, create buffer stocks for a national food reserve, and accelerate land reform for small-scale farmers. Additionally, the groups demanded an end to offshore oil and gas exploration and the formal adoption of the Climate Justice Charter.