By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Research reveals that Air pollution claims roughly 42,000 South African lives every year — primarily driven by heavy reliance on fossil fuels, coal-fired power plants, and industrial zones.
Now the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will strengthen collaboration between environmental and health experts to better understand and address the impact of air pollution on the health and well-being of South Africans.
According to a study by the Centre for Clean Energy and Research (CREA) and Greenpeace Africa, approximately 42,000 people, including 1,300 children under five in South Africa, died from ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in 2023.
More concerning is that these deadly effects are not equally distributed across the country, with 16,000 deaths projected in urban-industrial Gauteng, 7,000 deaths in KwaZulu-Natal and 5,600 deaths in the Highveld Priority Area.
Fine particulate matter is particles with a diameter less than 2.5μm (PM2.5). PM2.5 is one of the most hazardous pollutants in the air because of its small size and ability to penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.
The report also found that the entire country was exposed to PM2.5 levels that exceeded the World Health Organisation’s 2021 guidelines.
The partnership marks an important step towards ensuring that environmental policies are informed by scientific evidence on the health effects of air pollution. Through the agreement, the two institutions will collaborate on research, policy development, health impact assessments, data sharing, air quality monitoring, and public awareness initiatives.
The collaboration will also support research on the health impacts of emissions from various sources, strengthen surveillance of pollution-related health outcomes, improve access to environmental data for health studies, and contribute to the development of early warning systems that can help protect vulnerable populations during periods of poor air quality.
The Deputy Director-General for Climate Change and Air Quality Management at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Maesela Kekana, said the partnership reflects the government’s commitment to protecting both the environment and public health.
“Clean air is fundamental to the health and well-being of all South Africans. This partnership enables us to strengthen the scientific foundation of our air quality policies and interventions by drawing on the SAMRC’s world-class health research expertise. Through this collaboration, the DFFE and SAMRC will be better positioned to understand the real health impacts of air pollution, support evidence-based decision-making, and ensure that environmental management contributes directly to improved health outcomes for communities across the country,” said DDG Kekana.
The SAMRC President and CEO, Professor Ntobeko Ntusi, said the agreement demonstrates the critical role of research in addressing complex societal challenges.
“The health effects of air pollution extend far beyond environmental concerns and represent a significant public health challenge. Through this partnership, the SAMRC will contribute scientific evidence that helps policymakers understand how environmental exposures affect human health and where interventions can have the greatest impact. Our shared goal is to ensure that research translates into policies and actions that protect lives, reduce health inequalities, and improve quality of life for all South Africans,” said Prof Ntusi
With the SAMRC being the health-focused research arm of the National Department of Health (NDoH), the MoU also creates opportunities for closer collaboration with the NDoH and other stakeholders to strengthen the country’s response to environmental health challenges, including climate change and air pollution.