Standard Bank, one of Africa's largest financial institutions, is under fire for its recent actions during a protest organised by the Extinction Rebellion movement at its Johannesburg headquarters. The bank's security personnel forcibly removed climate activists, and their actions allegedly included the assault of a Daily Maverick journalist, Lerato Mutsila.
The incident occurred this week when Extinction Rebellion activists gathered peacefully at Standard Bank's Rosebank headquarters to demand the bank's divestment from fossil fuel projects and investment in renewable energy. While the protest began peacefully, it escalated into chaos when security personnel clashed with activists, leading to injuries.
Notably, journalist Lerato Mutsila, who was covering the protest for the Daily Maverick, was reportedly assaulted and had her phone confiscated. Security personnel, led by an individual identified as Karin Dirr, forcibly removed Mutsila from the premises. Upon returning her phone, all photographic and video evidence of the protest had been deleted, along with personal files.
Standard Bank's response to the incident has also come under scrutiny. Despite being a sponsor of South Africa's premier journalism awards, the Sikuvile Journalism Awards, the bank did not attempt to contact Mutsila or the Daily Maverick following the incident.
Standard Bank spokesperson, Ross Linstrom, initially responded to Daily Maverick by stating that the bank respects media freedom but asked for further details to investigate the allegations.
The incident has prompted outrage and calls for accountability. Mutsila has filed charges of assault, unlawful deprivation of property, and intimidation against Standard Bank and its security personnel.
“The outright abuse of a journalist at Standard Bank’s offices in Johannesburg, is yet another sad indictment of shameful behaviour by this bank. They appear to have lost all reason when it comes to how to engage with the press. Standard Bank clearly has scant regard for freedom of speech and the right of freedom of association”, said Independent Media’s editor-in-chief, Aziz Hartley.
Daily Maverick, a leading South African media house, has announced the suspension of its participation in the Sikuvile Awards in response to the incident, raising concerns about the bank's support for a free press.
Standard Bank's alleged actions have raised questions about its commitment to democratic principles, freedom of speech, and the right to protest. It also comes at a time when the bank is facing pressure to reduce its financing of projects that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
As the fallout from this incident continues, civil society organisations and activists are calling on the business community to denounce such actions and support democratic norms that are vital to a functioning society.
The incident highlights the delicate balance between corporate interests and democratic principles, and it remains to be seen how Standard Bank will respond to the growing criticism.
The safety of journalists and the protection of media freedom are essential pillars of a democratic society.
The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) released a statement on Friday saying was concerned that “the incident involved the unacceptable deletion of photos and videos from Mutsila's phone and her violent removal from the bank's premises by security personnel.”
“Sanef has been in contact with the leadership of Standard Bank, the sponsors of the Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards, and will soon be meeting with them to iron out these issues. We are encouraged by the willingness of Standard Bank to resolve the matter,” read the statement.
When these principles are compromised, it poses a risk to the very essence of democracy. Standard Bank's handling of this incident has thrust it into the centre of a controversy that raises broader questions about corporate accountability and democratic values.
Human rights and climate activist, Kumi Naidoo, who was present at the protest said that “our governments and our businesses are suffering from a case of cognitive dissonance and are blind to the reality of how close we are to climate catastrophe not only as a country but as a planet.”
The protesters, who were fundamentally peaceful, “were calling on us to understand the urgency of the moment when government and business appear to be in denial. On the one hand, the United Nations, global forums, several governments and large conglomerates all say the right things to the press, they’re all aware that we need to step away from fossil fuels and they know how little time we have to do that but very few seem to be actually doing something about it,” Naidoo said.
“For a bank to still be engaging in fresh investments in fossil fuels, especially one that would see the construction of a 1,500km pipeline through pristine African grassland and rainforest while displacing tens of thousands of people, is an absurd notion and just irresponsible.”
We cannot afford to burn anymore of the fuels which we have already extracted from the ground, let alone invest in new fossil fuel projects.
“If I could change one thing right now, I would make it illegal for banks to invest in any new fossil fuel projects and compel them instead to invest in clean energy, in decentralising energy production, and in the construction of mini-grids etc. This can happen, we’ve seen it happen, it
is possible so why are we not doing that?”, Naidoo said.
As the investigation into this incident unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder that, even in a democratic society, the actions of powerful institutions can have far-reaching implications for the fundamental rights and freedoms of its citizens.
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