Liz McDaid

Liz McDaid is a South African activist who is the "Eco-Justice Lead" for the Southern African Faith Communities' Environment Institute (SAFCEI).[1] Along with Makoma Lekalakala, she was awarded the 2018 Goldman Environmental Prize for the African region for their work on using the courts to stop a Russian-South African nuclear deal in 2017.[2] In 2018 McDaid and Lekalakala received the Nick Steele Memorial Award for their work in winning a crucial court case to halt plans by the South African government to proceed with a national nuclear build programme.[3] McDaid is currently Head of Energy at Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse.

Liz McDaid
NationalitySouth African
Occupation(s)Eco-Justice Lead, Southern African Faith Communities' Environment Institute
Awards
  • 2018 Goldman Environmental Award Africa.
  • 2021 Eco-Warrior Gold Award South Africa.

Career

[4] The "Eco-Justice Lead" for the Southern African Faith Communities' Environment Institute (SAFCEI), Liz McDaid, is a South African activist. She shared the 2018 Goldman Environmental Prize for Africa alongside Makoma Lekalakala for their efforts in 2017 to use the legal system to block a Russian-South African nuclear deal. McDaid and Lekalakala were given the Nick Steele Memorial Award in 2018 for their efforts in defeating the South African government's ambitions to move through with a national nuclear build program by successfully arguing a key legal matter.

Works

In 2014, the government of South Africa reached a confidential agreement with Russia to construct eight to ten nuclear power stations across the country, generating 9.6 gigawatts of nuclear energy. The secret deal came to the attention of Earthlife Africa in the same year.[5] Upon discovering the agreement's financial and environmental implications, Lekalakala and McDaid, along with their colleagues, strategized to oppose the deal. SAFCEI had been advocating for renewable energy to combat climate change and had already taken a stance against South Africa's nuclear industry. Together, the two women developed a plan to challenge the project, including President Zuma himself, on the grounds that the agreement was secret and had bypassed legal procedures without public consultation or parliamentary debate. Lekalakala and McDaid were particularly concerned about the environmental and health effects of scaling up uranium mining, nuclear power generation, and nuclear waste production. They spoke to communities across the country and explained the project's financial risks and environmental and human health consequences. McDaid organized weekly anti-nuclear vigils outside Cape Town's Parliament to hold parliamentarians accountable. Lekalakala and McDaid also held public rallies and marches to protest the nuclear project, demonstrating throughout South Africa. On April 26, 2017, the Western Cape High Court declared the nuclear deal unconstitutional, nullifying the agreement and terminating the $76 billion nuclear power project. Lekalakala and McDaid's legal triumph was a landmark victory that protected South Africa from the severe development of nuclear infrastructure, which would have had long-lasting environmental, health, and financial consequences for future generations.[6][7][8]

Awards
  • 2018 Goldman Environmental Award Africa [9]
  • 2021 Eco-Warrior Gold Award South Africa [10]

References
  1. Afika Adezweni (24 April 2018). "Our Nuclear Deal Heroes Have Won a Huge International Prize". The Marie Claire Newsletter. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  2. Nosmot Gbadamosi (24 April 2018). "Goldman Prize: Two South African Activists Win For Halting Russian Nuclear Deal". CNN. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  3. ANA (24 October 2018). "SAB honours activists who halted government's nuclear deal". The Citizen. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  4. "Women who stopped SA nuclear deal win prize". BBC News. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  5. "How two South African women stopped Zuma and Putin's $76 billion Russian nuclear deal". Quartz. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  6. "Makoma Lekalakala & Liz McDaid - Goldman Environmental Prize". 18 March 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  7. "Liz McDaid - The Green Connection". 9 August 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  8. "Liz Mcdaid". The World. 19 May 2018.
  9. "Makoma Lekalakala & Liz McDaid - Goldman Environmental Prize". 18 March 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  10. "Winners – The Eco-Logic Awards". Retrieved 29 April 2023.


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