Despite repeated government commitments and calls for cleaner industry, communities in South Africa’s Highveld continue to face serious air pollution, health risks and weak enforcement.
For many people, air pollution is an occasional bad smell. For those with asthma, however, it can trigger breathing difficulties and the need for an inhaler. For others, exposure can be a matter of life and death.
Clean air does not often rank high on the agenda in a country grappling with seemingly intractable problems such as crime, corruption, poverty and unemployment. But this year, several events coincided with the United Nations’ International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, observed annually on 7 September since 2020.
The day renewed longstanding calls by environmental organisations for tighter regulation and stronger controls on air pollution in parts of South Africa. Heavy industries that rely on coal remain among the major sources of pollution.
In Parliament, Nqabisa Gantsho, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, marked the day by reminding fellow parliamentarians that clean air is a constitutional right.
“Clean air is not a privilege for a few, but a basic human right that must be enjoyed by all South Africans, regardless of where they live,” she said.
Despite such commitments, a report released a day earlier by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) estimated that emissions from Sasol’s coal-to-liquid facility in Mpumalanga’s Highveld Priority Area cause roughly 1,000 premature deaths a year. It also estimated that the emissions result in 23,900 years of life lost and an annual economic burden of R19 billion.
According to the report, children are particularly vulnerable, facing higher risks of asthma, premature births and low birth weights.
Communities have long argued that South Africa’s sulphur dioxide (SO₂) limits are more lenient than international standards, allowing industrial operators to continue operating under relaxed emission licences.
The report recommends binding annual emission reductions, stricter monitoring and placing affected communities at the centre of enforcement.
Sasol did not respond to questions from The National. However, its integrated annual report sets out targets for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.
Gantsho acknowledged efforts by government, municipalities, industry and civil society to address the problem, but said more must be done to strengthen monitoring systems, improve compliance and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy sources.
The government is aware of the challenges. Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts addressed the Secunda Clean Air Community Dialogue in August. Residents, industry representatives and government officials gathered under the theme “Working Together for Cleaner Air, Healthier Communities and Sustainable Economic Growth”.
Swarts said industries in Secunda and across the Highveld Priority Area must take responsibility for their emissions, comply with their emission licences, invest in cleaner technologies and engage transparently with communities.
The Highveld Priority Area is a highly industrialised region that also includes 12 of Eskom’s coal-fired power stations, as well as metal smelters and chemical factories.
“The future of Secunda does not have to be a choice between jobs and clean air, or between economic development and healthy communities,” Swarts said.
For Promise Mabilo, who has been named the 2026 winner of Stanford University’s Bright Award for Environmental Sustainability, the crisis became personal in 2008 when her son developed severe breathing problems and was later diagnosed with asthma.
Mabilo began mobilising neighbours and, in 2016, established the Vukani Environmental Justice Movement in Action. The community-based organisation in Emalahleni, Mpumulanga, focuses on combating fossil-fuel pollution and protecting the health of people living in one of South Africa’s most polluted areas.
She will receive the Bright Award at a ceremony at Stanford Law School on 28 September 2026.
Air pollution in South Africa is estimated to cause 42,000 deaths a year, with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal recording the highest mortality rates. Beyond the human toll, pollution contributes to illness, absenteeism, reduced productivity and pressure on the public health system.
Cleaner air supports healthier workers, stronger communities and more attractive investment climates.
The World Bank estimates that air pollution results in $6 trillion in annual global health costs, causes a 5% reduction in global gross domestic product and contributes to the loss of 1.2 billion workdays each year.
Sasol still has some way to go on its decarbonisation journey, which should eventually result in lower emissions. Its latest annual report says its Secunda operations achieved their highest annual production in five years, supported by improved coal quality and equipment availability.
The group plans to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 30% by 2030, using 2017 as the baseline. It says this will be achieved through renewable-energy integration, improved and optimised operations, reduced coal use, alternative feedstocks and products, and carbon offsets.
The appeals by government officials for stricter enforcement have been made many times before. Former finance minister Trevor Manuel introduced the “polluter pays” principle as a fiscal policy in 2006. The ANC’s 1994 election manifesto stated that “tighter controls will be introduced to preserve our environment for future generations”.
The challenge now is to turn those longstanding commitments into measurable reductions in pollution and better health outcomes for Highveld communities.
edward.west@nationalmg.co.za
THE NATIONAL