Submission to the National Portfolio Committee on Environment and Tourism on the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Bill by the Highveld East Community Environment Association.

My name is Octavia Nkosi from eMbalenhie in Secunda, Mpumalanga province. I am a member of the Highveld East Community Monitoring Association.

The community of eMbalenhle is concerned about the health hazards that they are exposed to from SASOL like the bad air pollution. It causes and exacerbates lots of respiratory diseases (asthma, and TB, cancer, sinuses and eye infections) and contributes to the high death rate of people affected with HIV aids.

eMbalenhle was established in 1976 when SASOL was built to supply labor to the industry. The eMbalenhle community is situated adjacent to SASOL suffered the impact of pollution from SASOL since it started operations and the impact is increasing due to SASOL's ever expansions such as - project Turbo.

According to SASOL' 5 Environmental Report of 2000 during 199912000 period Sasol Synfuels and Chemical Industries emitted 8 kilotons of particulate matter, 97 kilotons of hydrogen sulphide, 248 kilotons of sulfur dioxide and 143 kilotons of nitrogen oxide and 404 kilotons of Volatile Organic Compounds and 49607 kilotons of carbon dioxide from their plants in Secunda.

Hydrogen Sulphide is a broad - spectrum poison affecting several body parts. It causes irritation to eyes and throat, coughing, shortness of breath and fluids in the lungs, fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, irritability, poor memory and dizziness.

Injuries and deaths at the Secunda Sasol Plant occur annually. During the shutdown period when they are servicing the plant fatalities often occur. In the shutdown in September 2003, four people dies on the plant.

We as the Highveld East Community Environmental Monitoring Association strongly feel that the air quality bill must include the following provisions:

· The Bill must have as its aim - to protect the health of our people and the environment, especially poor communities that are forced to live next to or down wind from dirty industry.

The Bill must capacitate Government to force industry to determine the exact impact of its pollution on people health and the environment.

_· The Bill must make provision for the development of partnerships between Government and communities. These partnerships must focus on monitoring the activities of industry. The partnerships must be independent from industry because industry cannot be trusted to monitor themselves.

· The bill has to ensure that there is transparency when it comes to what the levels or standards of emissions are allowed because when we approach SASOL to complain about the levels of pollution they say that they have made agreements with the government what the levels should be. Emission standards must be based on health standards, and they often make false statements about health impacts.

· The Bill must correct the legacy of the past where Black people suffered under Apartheid policies which created environmental racism - eMbalenhle is situated down wind from SASOL. We experience the worst of the pollution and cannot afford the expensive medical costs.

SASOL "Synfuels" is a indeed "caring" company and is the main employer in our community and is investing millions of rands to socio economic development programs. This company is also taking measures to monitor pollution BUT monitoring pollution does not reduce pollution, and they are not combating their present emissions. Therefore we urge the Government, corporate world and communities to work together to sustain the environment for future generation.