Wits and SA universities must cut fossil fuel ties to champion climate action

South African universities, particularly those like Wits University, are reliant on funding from the fossil fuel industry. This financial support manifests in research partnerships and investments, which has led to a lack of transparency and independence within these institutions. As such, they must disclose their ties with the fossil fuel sector, divest from these industries, and actively promote the transition to clean energy sources.

David Le Page, director of Fossil Free South Africa and a member of the University of Cape Town's Convocation Executive Committee, is among those advocating for this change. Professor Imraan Valodia, the Wits Pro Vice-Chancellor for Climate Change, Sustainability, and Inequality, has been vocal in his disagreement with the report "Carbon Captured?" which highlights the universities' undue influence from the fossil fuel industry.

Valodia stresses that universities should embrace scrutiny of their choices and partnerships while remaining transparent, accountable, and open to criticism. However, he has not provided detailed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies for Wits University, and his enthusiasm for a public panel on divestment has waned.

The global climate crisis is not merely an academic concern; it is a matter of securing a prosperous future for our country and world. The consequences of not addressing climate change could result in a world that becomes uninhabitable, and it is imperative that universities play a decisive role in tackling this issue.