South Africa is resisting demands from wealthy Western nations that it close its coal-fired power plants. The “Net Zero” countries want it to convert the plants to uncertain renewable energy in exchange for $9.3 billion in loans and grants.

Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, South Africa’s electricity minister, says he won’t turn South Africa into a “guinea pig” for the worldwide Green New Deal. South Africa suffered the worst power cuts in its history last year and said it must postpone the closure of three plants.

South Africa says the Western lenders “are unlikely to tolerate a significant reversal of the plans” but its newly elected multi-party coalition government there is willing to risk a withdrawal of the money.

Climate change fanatics love to shower money on developing nations to make their fanciful worldwide “Net Zero” emission targets look more plausible. But in reality, they are bribing governments to endanger their energy sectors, impoverish their own people, and actually discourage the economic growth they so desperately need. It is a profoundly anti-human policy and kudos to South Africa for not blindly following Kenya’s path.