62 - Makoma Lekalakala: Will you stand up?

November 12th 2019

Makoma Lekalakala is a soft spoken, unassuming South African human rights activist and the director of the Earthlife Africa in Johannesburg.  Earthlife Africa is an environmental NGO that lobbies the SA government to ensure environmental and climate justice in our communities. 

Makoma and Liz McDaid, were awarded the 2018 Goldman Environmental Prize for the African region, for their groundbreaking work on using the justice system to stop a Russian-South African nuclear deal in 2017. Makoma believes that we all have a part to play, and that together our small contributions complete the bigger puzzle that brings change. 

In our conversation we discussed the nuclear deal and what it takes to be a human rights activist. We also looked at some of the  global threats that we are facing, and how they will affect us differently based on our culture and economic class. This podcast with one of the heroes of our time will open your eyes and leave you energised to take action.