At Oxpeckers, we were founded, run & led by women. We support South African women journalists who bring light to GBVF. It's time for GBV to be declared a National Disaster.
#WomenShutdown 💜

Power. Land. Secrecy.
What nine months of PAIA requests told us about SA’s renewable energy transition 🧵
#PowerTracker set out to uncover the land lease deals behind renewable energy projects.
Who owns the land? Who benefits? Who gets left out?

What’s next?
✔ Stronger PAIA requests using Section 46
✔ Strategic appeals
✔ A central database of all outcomes
✔ Collaborative pressure for systemic reform

Our findings echo others' experience:
A national pattern of secrecy in the climate & energy sector.

Access to information isn’t paperwork - it’s environmental justice.
Without transparency, communities can’t hold power to account.

Some entities shared fragments of info.
Others refused completely.
Several ignored us altogether.

We asked Eskom, IPPs & municipalities for lease terms, beneficiaries & agreements.
Most responses?
Silence. Delays. “Confidentiality.”

3. Energy Reality Check: Investigations looked into the failure of Lesotho's $15-billion wind energy pipedream and the status of South Africa’s wind and solar power roll-out

2. Blood Timber Scandal: We exposed how the EU's mega-rich were fuelling the illegal 'blood timber' trade, with Italy remaining Europe’s top importer of teak from Myanmar, potentially funding the military regime

• Land Rights: Communities went to court to protect land from mining.
• GMO Debate: Critical three-part series on 25 years of GMOs in Africa.
Don't miss these critical stories. Dive into the data: Visit our website now for the complete 2021 Investigations Archive!

• The Coal Truth: Research confirmed coal is still king despite global green shifts.
• Rhino Justice: Conservation official & ex-cop charged with 17 illegal horns.
• Energy Safety: Experts called for the Koeberg nuclear project shutdown.