SA NEWS
Recent satellite data has
revealed that the world’s
largest air pollution hotspot is
in Mpumalanga. Analysis of
satellite data by Greenpeace
identifies coal and transport as
the two principle sources of air
pollution with Mpumalanga,
home to a cluster of 12 coal
fired power plants with a
capacity of 32GW, topping
the chart as the world’s largest
NO 2 hotspot across the six
continents.
The Witbank area has the
world’s dirtiest air and now
this analysis of high-tech
satellite data reveals that
Mpumalanga province is the
global number one hotspot
for NO 2 emissions, according
to Greenpeace Africa. South
Africa has the most polluting
cluster of coal-fired power
stations in the world which
is both disturbing and ‘very
scary’, says a Greenpeace
spokesperson.
The satellite data reveals
that Johannesburg and
Pretoria are highly affected
by the extreme NO 2 pollution
levels which blow in from
Mpumalanga’s toxic skies due
to close proximity and regular
World’s largest air pollution hotspot? Mpumalanga
Aaaah! Country air!
millions of people living in
Johannesburg and Pretoria are
also impacted by the pollution
from coal. The list of the largest
NO 2 hotspots in the world
includes well known coal-fired
power plants in South Africa,
Germany and India and a
total of nine coal power and
industrial clusters in China.
Cities such as Santiago de
Chile, London, Paris, Dubai
and Tehran also feature high in
the ranking due to transport-
east winds. Because South
Africa’s coal belts are hidden
from view for the majority of
South Africans, it can be easy
to pretend they don’t actually
exist, says the spokesperson
but ‘the reality is that coal
extraction and burning has
devastating impacts on the
people living in the area’.
This satellite data confirms
that there is nowhere to hide:
Eskom’s coal addiction in
Mpumalanga means that
related emissions.
This means that no new
coal-fired power stations
should be included in the
national electricity plan
(IRP 2018), unit 5 and 6
of Kusile coal power plant
in Mpumalanga must be
cancelled and 50% of current
coal-fired power stations need
to be decommissioned by
2030 in line with the IPCC
Special Report on 1.5°C, the
spokesperson advises.
Hydrologists from the
Department of Water and
Sanitation confirm South
Africa will not experience
drought over the current three-
month period, even though
below normal rains
are forecast.
Experts met in Tshwane
recently to discuss their state
of preparedness for floods
during the rainy season. The
hydrologists meet annually
during this time of the year
to review the department’s
readiness for natural disasters
such as floods and droughts.
‘Sporadic flash floods though,
4_QUARRY SA| JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
cannot be ruled out in the
next three months in rainfall
regions that are vulnerable
to thunderstorms. However,
the country will definitely not
experience drought during the
period under review,’ says the
hydrologists.
The hydrologists believe that
the weak El Niño is the cause
of the forecasted poor rains.
Floods are not expected in the
Western Cape and parts of the
Eastern Cape because they are
winter rain regions.
People who live on the banks
of rivers are usually exposed
to the dangers of flash floods
No risk of drought this (early) summer
Heavy rain has come to Gauteng, but it’s still relatively dry.
in most parts of the country.
In October, flash floods caused
some damage when persistent
showers fell over parts of the
City of Tshwane. In July 2018,
residents of the low-lying
Western Cape peninsula in
the Cape Flats were hard hit
as heavy rains and gale-force
winds destroyed infrastructure,
leaving hundreds of shack
dwellers destitute.