Subject: Mpumalanga: World’s Most Pollution-Populated

“Mpumalanga named as one of the worst places in the world for air pollution – and it’s starting to hit Joburg and Pretoria”

….Made headlines on Business Tech and Moneyweb online news platform…

Mpumalanga, the eastern- nestled province of the Republic of South Africa made headlines recently citing the ongoing quagmire state of air pollution which persist engulfing the province throughout-and its spreading.

This comes after an environmental-orientated report was published and promulgated by Greenpeace: an environmental-driven organization which focuses on eco-friendly tolerance and relevance focusing upon conservation methods and climate sustainability solutions through advice offerings and advocacy.

The report indicated that whilst the country practiced environmental sustainability measures put to place as decided and agreed upon by interest national and global stakeholders- on path to the achievement of a climate-friendly environment, it was found that air pollution hit optimal “toll”, exacerbated at fast pace in Mpumalanga than of those compared with.

Such a prognosis was seconded by an extensive research and analysis par investigation conducted sub various experts auspices ranging from environmental activists, interests groups, health officers represented intra community-town and city municipality, organisation institutions to name a few…

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), an environment peril and health hazardous pollutant element forming PM2.5 and ozone, was discovered suggested being main catalyst for air pollution form and dissemination.

Witbank (Emalahleni) town was the dirtiest. Other areas include Secunda, Middleburg, and Standerton, to name a few...

 Major contributory factors were coal:

·         Coal exploration, mining; and

·         Coal transport.

Such obtained from satellite data was compared anti six states within the continent revealed that Mpumalanga superseded as hotspot.

Greenpeace Africa campaign manager Melita Steele, noted: “Such obtained from satellite data was compared anti six states within the continent revealed that Mpumalanga superseded as hotspot”.

A recent study formulated recorded that air pollution is a silent killer, a disease having affected socio-economic standards. Most community residents residing nearby and intra coal fired and power stations, factories and mills serving location around core periphery areas “moaned”, stressing-out upon living standards and conditions poised to be confined within. According to hospitals and community clinics presiding shared acknowledgement that gravious health infections leading to respiratory affections: asthmatic attacks, tuberculosis, lung cancer etc are mainly common infections society were diagnosed with presented, reported in cases.

Inhabitants also acknowledged that mining and transport operations have damaged core infrastructure: contaminated water resources;roads and households- cracks caused during blasts concomitant dirty walls- external & internally.

Heavy smog presence during early peak times; morning and evening rush hours are visibly spoted on daily basis especially during winter seasons.

A major decline in tourism activity has been recorded resulting a Local Economic Development (LED) downgrade over the past 2012-2018 projected years period.

Major steps in efforts of combating; introducing effective solutions were implemented and welcomed. These include provincial interventions from The Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs &Land Distribution (Dardlea), Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs (Cogta), and Social Development produced an inter-ministerial task team.

These are the respective resolutions adopted:                  

Ø  Introduce and Implement innovative approaches to lessen air pollution;

Ø  Develop and align key policy elements and processes as adoptable solutions;

Ø  Establish environmental campaigns, initiatives and open-days to disseminate climate change and global warming risks;

Ø  Extend co-relations to local government’s inorder to combat environmental mismanagement and error conservation acts;

Ø  Create an eco-friendly and environmental sustainability system and conducive area.

Ø  Develop sanction and rewarding framework for bridging corporate, individuals and communities.

The government of day has outlined proactive steps as result to introduce environmental tolerant and also encouraged the acceleration of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) amid such action course.

Legal setting and constituency binding constituting the legal merits of active policy and major consultation during policy decision and making are of note addressed aswel.