DRAFT STRATEGY TO ADDRESS AIR POLLUTION IN DENSE LOW-INCOME SETTLEMENTS

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) issued a statement to the Director-General of the Department of Environmental Affairs calling for the urgent public release of the 'Strategy to Address Air Pollution in Dense Low-Income Settlements'. The CER argues that the delay in publishing this strategy, which was a deliverable as far back as 2010, hinders the state's ability to protect the constitutional rights of residents in low-income settlements who suffer from severe health impacts due to industrial emissions and domestic fuel burning.

• The 'Strategy to Address Air Pollution in Dense Low-Income Settlements' (the Draft Strategy) has faced significant delays in formal publication. It was listed as a Year 1 deliverable in the 2010 Outcome 10 Delivery Agreement and as a quarterly target in the Department of Environmental Affairs' 2011/2012 Performance Plan. Although the Department made it available in 2013, it has not been formally published for public comment as of April 2015.
• Residents of dense low-income settlements in South Africa are disproportionately exposed to poor air quality. This is caused by the proximity of these settlements to mines and industrial emission sources, as well as the domestic burning of gasoline, coal, and other fuels due to a lack of electricity, heating, and proper house insulation.
• Air pollution in these settlements leads to severe health consequences, specifically respiratory and cardio-vascular illnesses, with children and the elderly being the most vulnerable. The document cites data indicating that indoor air pollution from household fuel use was responsible for 2,489 deaths in the year 2000 and may cause up to 1,400 child deaths annually in South Africa due to Acute Lower Respiratory Infections.
• The CER asserts that the state is failing its constitutional obligations under sections 7, 24, 25, and 28, as well as the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (NEMAQA). The CER argues that the Draft Strategy is a 'fundamental first step' because it proposes energy-efficient housing and subsidised clean energy to reduce pollution.
• Local government entities, specifically the Nkangala District Municipality, have already integrated the Draft Strategy into their planning. The draft Air Quality Management Plan for the Nkangala District Municipality and the Highveld Priority Area plan aim to bring air quality in low-income settlements into full compliance with ambient standards by 2020.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2015). DRAFT STRATEGY TO ADDRESS AIR POLLUTION IN DENSE LOW-INCOME SETTLEMENTS. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/CER-to-DEA-Director-General-Domestic-Coal-Burning-7-April-2015.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. DRAFT STRATEGY TO ADDRESS AIR POLLUTION IN DENSE LOW-INCOME SETTLEMENTS. 2015. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/CER-to-DEA-Director-General-Domestic-Coal-Burning-7-April-2015.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=DRAFT STRATEGY TO ADDRESS AIR POLLUTION IN DENSE LOW-INCOME SETTLEMENTS |date=7 April 2015 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/CER-to-DEA-Director-General-Domestic-Coal-Burning-7-April-2015.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2015draft, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{DRAFT STRATEGY TO ADDRESS AIR POLLUTION IN DENSE LOW-INCOME SETTLEMENTS}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2015}, month = apr, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/CER-to-DEA-Director-General-Domestic-Coal-Burning-7-April-2015.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }