Uninformed Crowd Hired to Support Climate Change Denialist at Africa Energy Week

Africa Energy Week (AEW) is frequently a platform for driving discourse on the future of Africa's energy industry. This year's event, however, carried a strange twist. Alex Epstein, an American fossil fuel advocate and author of "The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels" and "Fossil Future", declared at the AEW held in the Cape Town International Convention Centre that Africa's way forward was rapid fossil fuel growth and that such development does not contribute to the climate crisis, contrary to the prevailing scientific consensus.

However, Epstein’s claim that fossil fuels are making humanity safer from extreme climate changes was overshadowed by concerns surrounding his unusual welcoming committee. Over a hundred demonstrators from Khayelitsha, Langa, and Gugulethu were seen holding signs welcoming Epstein and supporting fossil fuel use. Upon inquiry, it was clear none of the demonstrators knew who Epstein was, or his agenda.

The demonstrators arrived on buses early Tuesday morning and left after demonstrating for a few hours. Attempts to decipher who had organized this group led to a series of denials and dead-ends, raising questions about the actual purpose and organization of the demonstration. Simultaneously, Extinction Rebellion Cape Town (XR) staged a protest, with members calling out fabricated support for Epstein as a low tactic by the oil industry, which XR argues is prioritizing profit over sustainable development models.

Epstein, for his part, denied any connection with the hired demonstrators and was unable to confirm if they had been paid. XR reported that the alleged supporters had told them they’d been paid R200 to attend.

Given the unconventional dynamics witnessed, Stephen Horn, the country director of the Clean Creatives campaign, called upon South African agencies and corporates to choose their side in the fight against climate change, particularly given the disputed tactics used in Epstein’s session.

The African Energy Chamber, the organisers of AEW, did not respond to queries about its role in hiring demonstrators.