SUBMISSIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE 2012 NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundWork, the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), and the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA), submitted comments on 16 April 2013 regarding the draft 2012 National Framework for Air Quality Management in South Africa. The CER argues that the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) failed to follow prescribed review processes, ignored legislative obligations from the 2007 Framework, and provided insufficient support to municipalities for air quality management.

• The CER asserts that the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) failed to comply with the prescribed process for reviewing the National Framework, noting that the draft 2012 Framework extends target dates for implementation without providing a reasonable explanation for the non-compliance with the 2007 Framework's legislative obligations.
• The review process for the 2012 Framework is criticized for inadequate public participation, with the CER stating that the DEA relied on a single newspaper advertisement for workshops and failed to communicate with established stakeholders, thereby neglecting the requirements for early and inclusive engagement.
• Local governments are reported to lack the human, financial, and technical resources necessary to meet air quality obligations. The CER cites eThekwini as an example where equipment failure and staff shortages have led to data non-availability and non-compliance with ambient air quality standards.
• The South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) is described as failing to meet its objectives. Many Phase I and Phase II targets from the 2007 Framework remain unachieved, and the website's features—such as air quality graphs and the interactive map—are reported as non-functional or user-unfriendly.
• There is significant non-compliance regarding the production of mandatory Air Quality Management Plans (AQMPs). A November 2011 DEA report indicated that no national department required to do so had produced an AQMP, and 31 district municipalities, four provinces, and one metropolitan area had not yet started the process.
• A 2011 DEA Baseline Survey on Government-owned Air Quality Monitoring Networks revealed that most networks are operated by Environmental Health Practitioners lacking formal training, and many stations are stranded due to a lack of funds for basic spares and maintenance.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2013). SUBMISSIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE 2012 NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Comments-on-the-draft-review-of-the-Framework-for-AQM-16-April-2013.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. SUBMISSIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE 2012 NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. 2013. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Comments-on-the-draft-review-of-the-Framework-for-AQM-16-April-2013.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=SUBMISSIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE 2012 NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA |date=16 April 2013 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Comments-on-the-draft-review-of-the-Framework-for-AQM-16-April-2013.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2013submissions, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{SUBMISSIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE 2012 NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2013}, month = apr, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Comments-on-the-draft-review-of-the-Framework-for-AQM-16-April-2013.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }