Greenpeace activists deported

The three men - belonging to Greenpeace - were joined by other climate change activists in trying to erect a banner on the hotel reading "Listen to the people, not the polluters". A World Business Council on Sustainable Development conference was taking place at the venue at the time.

The activists protested outside the meeting because they wanted to name and shame the carbon intensive industries who they claimed were strangling progress on a deal to combat climate change.

The Greenpeace activists, from Germany, Australia, and Denmark, were arrested along with four South Africans.

Home Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa confirmed that the three men were arrested for trespassing on the roof of the hotel, with the intention of abseiling from the roof.

"A special court was convened before which they pleaded guilty to the charge of trespassing. Accordingly, the court found them guilty on charges of trespassing," said Mamoepa, adding that following the conviction, the department began the process of deporting the three men.

'Dirty dozen' companies

He said they had contravened the conditions of their visa-free entry into the republic. They had been granted visa-free entry into South Africa because of bilateral visa waiver agreements between South Africa and their countries.

They were later taken to a place of detention awaiting arrangements to be finalised by the department for their deportation to their countries of origin.

GroundWork activists had also joined the protest on Monday. Director Bobby Peeks said: "The UNFCCC's process has been undermined by polluting corporate interests, rather than serving the world's people, which will lead to climate catastrophe."

Melita Steele from Greenpeace Africa said: "Meeting in the shadows of the vital UN talks, these dirty dozen companies should be ashamed of their role in undermining global talks to tackle climate change."

Meanwhile, 11 Greenpeace activists were arrested in Paris on Monday morning as they attempted to break into two of France's nuclear plants. They wanted to raise questions about reactor security.