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The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) of South Africa responded to a request from the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) to develop regulations for the implementation of the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). The DEA declined this request, stating that the AQMP is a collaborative plan rather than a regulation and that existing air quality management tools are sufficient. The document also provides a detailed response to the 'Broken Promises' report, outlining progress in air quality governance, monitoring, and intergovernmental cooperation within the HPA.

This document is a supporting affidavit from Barbara Dallas Creecy, the Minister of the National Department for Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, seeking leave to appeal specific orders made by the High Court of South Africa on 18 March 2022 regarding air pollution in the Highveld Priority Area.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for the Highveld Environmental Justice Network (HEJN), groundWork (gW), and Earthlife Africa (ELA), submitted preliminary objections and recommendations regarding the draft Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) and draft Air Quality Management By-laws for the Nkangala District Municipality (NDM). The CER argues that the public participation process was procedurally unfair due to insufficient notice and comment periods. Substantively, the CER identifies critical gaps in the draft AQMP, including a lack of enforcement strategies, insufficient technical capacity within the NDM, and misalignment with the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) goals. The CER also proposes significant amendments to the draft by-laws to strengthen dust control, clarify authorization procedures, and ensure stricter local emission standards.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted comments on the revised draft Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) for the Nkangala District Municipality (NDM). The CER argues that the plan is overly ambitious given the NDM's lack of capacity and resources, fails to align with the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) AQMP, and contains significant technical errors in its air quality modelling and data.

The GroundWork Trust submitted a formal objection to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) regarding an electricity generation permit application by ACWA Power Khanyisa Thermal Power Station (RF) (Pty) Limited. GroundWork argues that the proposed coal-fired power plant is unnecessary, economically unviable, and would cause severe environmental and public health damage in an area already suffering from critical air pollution.

A letter from the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) to the South African Minister of Health, requesting the Department of Health's participation in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) Multi-Stakeholder Reference Group meetings to address the severe health impacts of air pollution.

The South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment issued decisions on Eskom's applications for postponement, suspension, and alternative limits regarding Minimum Emission Standards (MES). While some power stations scheduled for decommissioning (such as Camden, Acacia, Port Rex, Kriel, Komati, Hendrina, and Grootvlei) were granted suspensions of compliance timeframes until 2026-2030, applications for Matla and Duvha power stations were largely refused due to failure to demonstrate compliance plans or meet legal requirements for alternative limits, particularly in priority areas.

This document consists of a formal letter and a variation of the Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) issued by the Nkangala District Municipality to Eskom Holdings SOC Limited for the Arnot Power Station. The letter, dated 20 April 2015, addresses Eskom's request to correct errors in the AEL, while the attached licence specifies the operational conditions, emission limits, and reporting requirements for the power station's activities.

This document is an Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) issued on 31 March 2015 by the Gert Sibande District Municipality to Eskom Holdings SOC Limited for the Camden Power Station. The licence, issued under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004, regulates emissions from solid fuel combustion, petroleum storage, and coal handling, establishing specific operational requirements, emission limits, and monitoring obligations for a period not exceeding five years.

A cover letter from the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitting formal comments on the draft Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) and Air Quality Management By-law for the Nkangala District Municipality on behalf of the Highveld Environmental Justice Network, groundWork, and Earthlife Africa, Johannesburg.

This document is a variation of an Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) issued by the Nkangala District Municipality to Eskom Holdings SOC Limited for the Duvha Power Station. The licence, valid until 31 May 2017, regulates atmospheric emissions from listed activities including solid fuel combustion, petroleum product storage, and coal handling, setting specific emission limits for particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx).

This document is a renewed Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) issued by the Nkangala District Municipality to Eskom Holdings SOC Limited for the Duvha Power Station. The licence, valid from 30 June 2017 to 30 June 2022, sets specific limits on particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, while mandating operational requirements, monitoring frequencies, and the implementation of an Atmospheric Emission Off-Set Plan to reduce PM pollution.

Eskom's formal response to an appeal by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) regarding the Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) of the Hendrina Power Station. Eskom argues that the requested variations to the AEL would make the station unable to operate from 2020 and maintains that the current postponements of Minimum Emission Standards (MES) are lawful and necessary due to the station's age and resource constraints.

This document is a formal response from Eskom to an appeal filed by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) regarding the Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) of the Komati Power Station. Eskom argues that the requested variations to the AEL would make the station's operation untenable from 2020 onwards and maintains that its application for a postponement of Minimum Emission Standards (MES) was lawful and technically justified.

This document is a legal statement from the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (representing the National Department) responding to an application by several parties regarding air quality management in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA). The Minister defends the implementation of the Highveld Plan, arguing that the government has substantially complied with its goals through a co-operative governance model involving national, provincial, and municipal spheres, as well as private industry. The statement rejects the demand for additional regulations under section 20 of the Air Quality Act, asserting that existing tools and the progressive realization of environmental rights are sufficient. It also details the Minister's refusal to grant emission exemptions to Eskom and Sasol.

The document is an answering affidavit from the Minister of the National Department of Environmental Affairs regarding a legal application by the Centre for Environmental Rights. The Minister defends the government's air quality management in the Highveld Priority Area, arguing that the Highveld Plan is a 'living document' that has been approximately 80% implemented. The Minister disputes the necessity of creating specific regulations under section 20 of the Air Quality Act, citing resource constraints and the need to balance environmental rights with socio-economic growth and energy security.

This document is a statement from the Minister of the National Department (South Africa) responding to an application regarding air quality in the Highveld Priority Area. The Minister defends the government's environmental management tools, denies a lack of cooperation between national departments, and argues that non-compliance with air quality standards does not automatically constitute a constitutional breach.

The Grootvlei Power Station Annual Emissions Report for the 2016/17 financial year, submitted by Eskom to the Chief Air Quality Licensing Officer, details the station's pollutant emissions, the progress of a particulate matter reduction project, and compliance with atmospheric licenses.

This document is a variation of an Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) issued by the Nkangala District Municipality to Eskom Holdings SOC Limited for the Hendrina Power Station. The licence, valid until 31 March 2019, regulates emissions from listed activities including solid fuel combustion, storage of liquid petroleum products, and handling of coal.

This 2019 Phase 1 Initial Impact Assessment, produced by the Department of Environment Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) for the South African Presidency's Socio-Economic Impact Assessment System (SEIAS), evaluates the need for regulations to enforce Air Quality Management Plans (AQMPs) in three priority areas. The document identifies a failure to meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) due to ineffective AQMP implementation and a lack of accountability for non-industrial stakeholders.