East London - Water and Environmental Affairs Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi has urged local municipalities to fast-track strategies to improve air quality.
Speaking at the sixth annual Air Quality Governance Lekgotla in East London, Mabudafhasi said while some local authorities have taken up the challenge, more work needs to be done.
"Even though some municipalities lack facilities to monitor air quality, it's good to know that at local level air quality interventions are taking place and some local authorities are driving objective-oriented approaches to air quality governance," said Mabudafhasi.
She said a lack of trained personnel able to monitor air quality control stations was also a challenge to implementing clean air strategies.
"The National Association of Clean Air Control will be working with the department to train agents who will be able to work at the control stations," said Mabudafhasi.
She urged local municipalities to integrate a clean air campaign into their Integrated Development Plan.
"Let's start awareness campaigns in schools, the workplace and in our communities. We need to work together with NGOs and the private sector to educate people," added Mabudafhasi.
The Air Quality Act, passed over a year ago, provides government with regulatory tools necessary to ensure people's rights to clean air. Some local municipalities have taken the initiative to install monitoring stations, which report air quality monitoring data to the South African Air Quality Information System.
The results are available on their website (www.saaqis.org.za), allowing all South Africans to view the status of the air quality in the area where they live.
The Lekgotla was attended by local councilors, Economic Development and Environmental Affairs MEC Mcebisi Jonas and stakeholders from the various municipalities.
The Lekgotla provides a platform for municipal representatives to meet and share ideas on air quality control measures, discuss any problems that may arise and assist each other in finding solutions.
