Jo’burg, Gauteng, Cape Town respond

“The air quality in the City of Johannesburg is relatively poor due to exceedances for particulate matter,” according to a city representative.

The city says it operates eight air quality monitoring stations, but crime and vandalism keep interrupting their operations.

The city also says it has reviewed its air quality management plan and the air pollution control by-laws, which provide a framework for tackling pollution. Facilities that pollute without a licence to do so are fined a minimum of R200 000.

The province says: “Air quality of ambient air in Gauteng is variable, with certain areas experiencing poor to very poor air quality. However, certain areas experience good quality.” The overall air quality in the three metropolitan municipalities in the province — Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni — “fluctuates on and around the set national standard”.

The province’s response to limit air pollution includes teaching people about it and synchronising traffic lights to ease traffic flow and reduce car exhaust fumes.

The province notes that: “The metros and the province have never received official complaints from any persons falling ill by ambient air pollution,” but it investigates when there are complaints.

The City of Cape Town says it believes “the air quality in Cape Town is safe to breathe”, with the air quality “generally of an acceptable standard” when compared with the legal levels.

The city says it runs 14 stations to monitor air quality, that about R34-million has been spent in the last three years on an air quality laboratory and the system that tests air, and that three vehicles are allocated to officials to do daily roadside tests of diesel vehicles to ensure they are running properly. It adds that more than R1-million in fines have been levied this year alone for illegal air pollution activities. — Sipho Kings