Note to Editors: Please note Hannah Lidgett, MPL sound bite in English
The DA has submitted written parliamentary questions to KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), demanding detailed information regarding the provinces six air quality monitoring stations which have now been non-operational for more than two years.
The DA has requested specific details, including the locations of the stations, the exact nature of the faults and the expected timeline for repairs.
The move comes after it was established, during a recent EDTEA portfolio committee meeting, that the department has allegedly been forced to rely on alternative data sources in areas where air population is a known public health risk.
KZN is home to several industrial zones known for emitting pollutants that pose severe health risks to residents. This includes the South Durban Industrial Basin, uMkomaas, the Tongaat area and the Richards Bay Industrial Hub.
The DA is particularly concerned about the absence of real-time air quality data in areas where air quality is already compromised. These communities rely on accurate and timely reporting to respond and protect themselves from excessive air pollution.
The prolonged failure of KZN’s air quality monitoring stations compromise public health and undermine the public’s right to access environmental information under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (Act No. 39 of 2004).
As part of KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), the DA demands an immediate response from EDTEA, with a clear action plan to restore the operational capacity of its own monitoring stations and resume regular data reporting.
Access to information is a fundamental right enshrined in our constitution and KZN’s people deserve to know the status of air quality within their communities. The DA expects EDTEA must take swift action to rectify these failures.