On Thursday, Johannesburg and Cape Town witnessed demonstrations organized by a coalition of Palestinian solidarity groups, trade unions, and civil society organizations. The protests, coordinated by the South African BDS and Energy Embargo for Palestine Campaign, targeted Swiss mining company Glencore, which activists accuse of supporting Israel’s military actions through coal supplies.
Protesters gathered outside Glencore’s Johannesburg headquarters and its subsidiary Astron’s offices in Cape Town. They are demanding an immediate halt to South Africa’s coal exports to Israel, urging compliance with international law and a stance against what they describe as genocide and apartheid. The protests come in response to ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have drawn significant international criticism.
Glencore Faces Criticism Over Coal Supply to Israel
Glencore, the largest mining company globally, reported profits exceeding $34 billion (about R612 billion) in 2022. Despite this financial success, the company is under fire for its coal supply to Israel. Critics argue that this coal fuels Israel’s military operations, which they claim contributes to severe humanitarian issues in Gaza.
Jamie Rosengarten from the Cape Youth Collective and South African Jews for a Free Palestine highlighted, “Our protest is aimed at Astron, a Glencore subsidiary. At present, Glencore is a key coal supplier to Israel, and this coal supports military activities and the ongoing crisis in Gaza.” He further stated, “This situation violates international law, and we believe Glencore is complicit. Our message is clear: South Africa should end all coal exports to Israel immediately.”
In response, Glencore’s Charles Watenphul rejected these claims, calling them unfounded. He referred to the company’s Sustainability Report 2023 for details on their policies to prevent contributing to human rights abuses in conflict zones.
Global Impact of Corporate Practices
Gabriel Klaasen from the African Climate Alliance highlighted that the issue of corporate complicity extends beyond Palestine and the DRC. “Major industries are profiting from the tragedies and genocides occurring not just in Palestine but also in the DRC. These corporations are exploiting these crises for financial gain, perpetuating widespread suffering and conflict.”
Klaasen emphasized the protesters’ demands: “We must cut ties with companies that support genocide. Addressing these issues one by one is not enough; we need comprehensive reform. We are calling on Glencore to cease its involvement in conflicts and genocides in both the DRC and Palestine. Our protest outside Astron Energy, due to its connection with Glencore, aims to end the exploitation of people and the environment. We are determined to stop these harmful practices.”