On October 29, Parliament was informed that air pollution remains a significant threat to national public health, particularly in metropolitan and priority regions.
Air pollution remains a significant threat to national public health. DFFE
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) presented to the forestry, fisheries, and environment committee, detailing the country’s air quality status, the network of monitoring stations, and the challenges in enforcing the Air Quality Act within the Vaal Triangle Airshed, Highveld, and Waterberg-Bojanala priority areas.
Greenpeace Africa also addressed the committee, sharing insights from its report, ‘Major Air Polluters in Africa Unmasked’.
Both organisations stressed the urgent need for enhanced measures and stricter enforcement to address the ongoing air quality crisis, noting that these key areas consistently exceed World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, thereby escalating health risks.
Dr Patience Gwaze, the national air quality officer at the DFFE, stated that initiatives are underway to bolster actions aimed at improving air quality across identified priority zones. However, despite various interventions initiated since 2006, progress has been minimal. Gwaze reiterated that air pollution remains a major environmental health concern.
Priority areas and management plans
The DFFE has established priority areas since 2006 to tackle locations that violate air quality standards, enabling focused enforcement of management plans for these regions.
The Vaal Triangle, Highveld, and Waterberg-Bojanala were designated as priority areas in 2006, 2007, and 2012, respectively. These declarations allow the DFFE to implement management plans aimed at reducing emissions and facilitating coordinated action across government tiers to enhance air quality.
To strengthen enforcement, new regulations were introduced in August 2024 to ensure compliance with air quality management plans. Gwaze highlighted that persistent non-compliance necessitated these further measures, aimed at implementing targeted interventions to mitigate pollution.
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Dion George published these regulations, mandating emission reduction strategies and establishing mechanisms for government oversight and compliance evaluation.
Gwaze mentioned efforts to include additional municipalities, such as the West Rand, City of Tshwane, and City of Johannesburg, as priority areas due to their compromised air quality.
“In the coming months, we’ll propose extending the priority area designations to enhance our interventions across Gauteng,” Gwaze stated, acknowledging the significant air quality challenges in the province.
Proposed solutions and activities
Gwaze outlined several proposed strategies to address air quality shortcomings, including enhancing collaborative governance and improving service delivery, as pollution sources cut across multiple sectors—waste, forestry, agriculture, energy, and more.
The DFFE aims to establish dedicated air quality management frameworks and advocate for resources to support monitoring functions at provincial and municipal levels.
Greenpeace Africa’s report highlighted alarming air quality levels in regions of South Africa, underscoring the health risks to millions of people. Cynthia Moyo, a climate and energy campaigner for the organisation, noted that South Africa has some of the largest air pollution sources on the continent, primarily from its energy sector.
The report indicated that several major nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide emission hotspots are located within South Africa, including power stations like Kriel, Matla, Duvha, and Tutuka.
Moyo stated, “Exposure to air pollution is the second-leading risk factor for death in Africa. South Africa bears a significant disease burden from fossil fuel emissions.”
She emphasised that adhering to WHO guidelines could greatly improve life expectancy in South Africa, where premature death rates linked to air pollutants are notably higher than in other southern African nations.
Claudious Chikhozo, also from Greenpeace Africa, acknowledged some alignment between their findings and the DFFE’s assessments, particularly regarding the severe pollution in Mpumalanga due to the concentration of fossil fuel industries.
Chikhozo urged the government to promptly implement the Highveld priority area management plan and uphold judicial rulings concerning air pollution regulation, warning against any exemptions that would weaken current air quality measures.
