At this year’s Living Planet Awards, WWF South Africa recognised the tireless efforts of two grassroots organisations and a philanthropist couple, all of whom have made profound contributions to environmental protection and sustainable development in South Africa. Picture: Danie Nel/WWF
On November 8, WWF South Africa presented its prestigious Living Planet Awards in Cape Town, recognising the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) and Sustaining the Wild Coast (SWC) for their unyielding activism against environmental exploitation along the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast.
Pamela and Neville Isdell, notable philanthropists with a long-standing commitment to conservation, were honoured in the individual category.
The Amadiba Crisis Committee, founded in 2007, has faced a dangerous fight against proposed titanium mining and a planned N2 highway reroute along the coast. This grassroots organisation, composed of Xolobeni residents, has endured severe risks, including the assassination of its chair, Bazooka Radebe, in 2016.
Despite these challenges, the ACC has continuously opposed projects threatening the land, culture, and ecology of the Amadiba region.
Sustaining the Wild Coast, a small but determined non-profit organisation, works in close alliance with ACC, amplifying the voices of the Amadiba people in their struggle to protect their ancestral land from potential destruction.
In recent years, the ACC and SWC took legal action to halt seismic testing by Shell, successfully arguing in court that Shell’s consultation with coastal communities was insufficient.
The court ruled that the government failed to assess the possible impact on local livelihoods, cultural practices, and the local ecosystem, including endangered marine life.
Dr Morné du Plessis, WWF South Africa CEO, praised the groups for “extraordinary bravery and courage under fire,” adding that their victory achieved broader legal recognition of “the cultural and spiritual rights of South African indigenous communities that seek to protect their environments.”
In the individual category, Pamela and Neville Isdell received recognition for their extensive contributions to conservation and philanthropy in South Africa and globally.
Neville Isdell, former Coca-Cola CEO and chair of WWF US, has driven an influential model he calls “Connected Capitalism,” which promotes sustainable corporate practices that address social issues while ensuring growth.
Over the past six years, the Isdells have supported various WWF South Africa initiatives, including grants for a new Grasslands National Park in the Eastern Cape and the WWF Conservation Champion programme, which protects the flora of the Cape Floral Kingdom.
Their latest support for the Sustainable Finance Coalition aims to create finance solutions that will further conservation efforts across Africa. Dr du Plessis commended the Isdells as “visionaries in recognising that innovative finance solutions need to be developed to support [conservation] over the long term.”
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