# African Energy Week's fine print problem

> A Cape Town conference promises to end energy poverty through oil and gas drilling, but the numbers tell a different story.
- Title: African Energy Week's fine print problem · Daily Maverick
- Summary: A Cape Town conference promises to end energy poverty through oil and gas drilling, but the numbers tell a different story. African Energy Week in Cape Town…
- Keywords: african energy week, oil and gas, renewable energy, cape town, energy poverty, climate justice, astroturfing, news, politics, African, Energy, Week's
- Source: Daily Maverick — https://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-10-16-drill-baby-drill-whos-reading-the-fine-print-at-african-energy-week
- Author: Politically Aweh
- Published: 2026-10-16T14:40:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: african energy week, oil and gas, renewable energy, cape town, energy poverty, climate justice, astroturfing, news, politics
## Petrol hits record high
South Africans inland are now paying thirty point twenty five rand a litre for ninety five petrol after October's three point thirty three rand hike, driven by global oil prices and geopolitical tension.
## African Energy Week's pitch
African Energy Week arrives in Cape Town this week with the theme Invest in African Energies: Affordable and Abundant Energy Additions, promising that drilling for oil in Africa will boost local supply and bring prices…
## The global market problem
Oil is priced on the global market, so a barrel pumped off South Africa's coast sells at the same price as one pumped anywhere else. Local drilling will not lower petrol prices at the pump.
## The agenda's real priorities
Gas appears eighty two times in the conference agenda, oil sixty four times. Renewable appears fifteen times, solar twice, and wind zero times. There is no space for civil society, youth or workers.
## Renewables industry stays away
Titania Stefanus-Zincke, interim CEO of the South African Wind Energy Association, said the agenda's thin focus on renewables is why the association chose not to attend.

> Africa has more than 58,000 gigawatts of onshore [wind energy] potential. Only 0.02% has actually been realised
## Climate justice at four thousand dollars
African Energy Week charges four thousand dollars for an all-access ticket while promising to make energy poverty history.

> A 'just transition' would look like a $4,000 ticket not being $4,000 in the beginning
## Paid protesters and astroturfing
At the two thousand twenty three African Energy Week, activists saw busloads of people carrying identical placards reading Drill Baby Drill and The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels.
## Citizens' Assembly offers alternative
South Africa's first Citizens' Assembly comprises seventy three randomly selected Capetonians chosen to reflect the city's demographics. The focus is building a transport system that is fair, reliable and affordable while cutting emissions.
## Key takeaway

African Energy Week in Cape Town promotes oil and gas as the solution to energy poverty, but critics say the agenda ignores renewables and the conference's high costs contradict its climate justice messaging.