Pressure groups and farmers showcasing at the ongoing COP 17 have started rallying South Africans to participate in a protest march in Durban, the host city of the United Nations climate change conference, on Saturday.

Dubbed the "Global Day of Action" the march will take place as world leaders are still struggling to reach agreement how to take climate change forward.

March committee convener Desmond D'sa in a statement Friday said the protest will give ordinary people from across Africa and the rest of the world to make sure their voices are heard. He said some of those most affected by the impacts of changing climate including peasant farmers from across the continent and of women from South African rural communities will take part.

"World leaders are discussing the fate of our planet but they are far from reaching a solution to climate change. If they fail to make progress we will see drought and hunger blight our country and continent even further," D'sa said. "We call on all South African's to march with us this Saturday and remind our leaders they must come to a fair climate change deal that avoids runaway climate change," he added.

The march will follow a route past the site of the United Nations climate change negotiations.

Influential labor movement leader, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi is going to give a key note speech.

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