Sharon Mbonani grew up frequenting clinics in eMbalenhle, a township in Mpumalanga, in search of therapy for power sinus an infection.
In 2015, she attended a coaching workshop organised by the environmental advocacy group, Greenpeace, and discovered how air pollution affected her sinuses.
“I assumed it was one thing that comes with the seasons,” says the 30-year-old mom of 1. “It affected me my total life. I took plenty of tablets for sinus illness and drugs for allergic reactions.”
Sinusitis, which causes the areas contained in the nostril and head often known as sinuses to grow to be infected and swollen, is a respiratory an infection that may be brought on by air air pollution. Respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses are a few of the sicknesses suffered by communities in Mpumalanga attributable to extreme air air pollution.
Advantages of coal come at a excessive worth to well being
Mpumalanga is house to coal mines, which provide greater than 80% of the nation’s coal. About 11 of Eskom’s 14 coal-fired energy vegetation had been in Mpumalanga, as of April 2024.
The coal-rich province is essential to South Africa’s economic system, contributing 6.1% of South Africa’s R4.6 trillion Gross Home Product in 2024, and using tens of 1000’s of individuals from the native communities. Areport by the Worldwide Vitality Company (IEA) exhibits that 69.2% of South Africa’s vitality provide is from coal.
However the advantages of coal mining have come at a excessive worth for South Africa. Massive volumes of sulphur dioxide and tremendous particulate air pollution launched from these coal-fired energy stations, mines and fossil gas industries have claimed the lives of many whereas costing the nation’s well being system billions of rands in medical care.
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Based on the 2025 Lancet Countdown Report, South Africa had the best mortality price from coal-related air air pollution in Africa, at 16 deaths per 100,000 individuals. Greater than 21,000 deaths had been recorded in 2022.
Air air pollution well being prices whole roughly $52bn (R832bn) per 12 months, based on a report by Greenpeace Africa & Centre for Analysis on Vitality and Clear Air. The vast majority of this value is because of the lack of life, adopted by preterm births. The $52bn is sufficient to fund the nation’s well being funds for greater than two years.
Coal and air air pollution
Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, a professor of local weather change, meals techniques, and well being on the London Faculty of Hygiene & Tropical Drugs, says continued use of fossil fuels and biomass contributes to excessive ranges of air air pollution in South Africa.
“That is growing the chance of respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, and resulting in untimely loss of life,” says Mabhaudhi, who can be a director of the Lancet Countdown in Africa.
“Most air pollution-related deaths in South Africa are linked to coal-related air air pollution, family vitality use, and industrial use. This disproportionately impacts poor communities dwelling adjoining to coal-fired energy vegetation, who may additionally use coal for home vitality.”
Ladies, kids, and the aged are particularly susceptible to respiratory illnesses.
Mbonani misplaced her one-month-old child in 2017. She suspects the infant died from pollution-related sicknesses. Her different son suffered respiratory issues, together with an an infection within the throat, for years till she moved him out of eMbalenhle.
“It was a horrible expertise the place you have got simply misplaced your youngster, and you’re on the verge of shedding one other. I needed to sacrifice elevating him in a wholesome atmosphere,” she says.
Air air pollution was liable for greater than 8 million deaths globally in 2021, together with over 709,000 in kids underneath the age of 5, representing virtually 9% of world air air pollution deaths,based on the World Burden of Illness examine.
Mbonani’s mom additionally needed to relocate to Johannesburg after affected by pores and skin infections for many years in Mpumalanga.
“Each time my mother can be away, she would get higher. Nevertheless it will get worse when she is right here in Mpumalanga. So she needed to depart,” she says.
Khehla Mahlangu has suffered from respiratory illnesses for many years in his house township of eMbalenhle in Mpumalanga.
“My neighborhood is very affected by air air pollution as we reside subsequent to a coal mining firm whose actions trigger poisonous mud within the air,” says the 55-year-old man who misplaced his eyesight from air air pollution.
Air pollution hotspot
Annual concentrations of tremendous particulate matter in elements of Mpumalanga usually exceed the World Well being Organisation’s guideline by about 4 occasions. Tremendous particulate matter consists of microscopic strong or liquid particles suspended within the air that may simply penetrate human lungs, posing severe well being dangers.
Cynthia Moyo, a local weather and vitality marketing campaign lead at Greenpeace Africa, says Mpumalanga is a air pollution hotspot. However hundreds of thousands of individuals exterior the province in areas like Gauteng are additionally affected.
Along with the general public well being impression, South Africa’s reliance on fossil fuels is contributing to international warming, inflicting disasters just like the droughts and floods southern Africa is experiencing. The nation is experiencing extra frequent and extra extreme climate occasions.
In January 2026, South Africa declared a nationwide state of catastrophe over lethal floods in a number of provinces throughout the nation. On the similar time, South Africa has seen a rise in heat-related deaths. From 2012 to 2021, an estimated 4,500 heat-related deaths had been recorded yearly, 3 times as many as these recorded yearly in 1990-1999.
Moyo says air air pollution and local weather change are two outcomes of fossil gas dependence. Decreasing their use would instantly enhance public well being in South Africa whereas additionally chopping carbon emissions.
Simply Transition
In recent times, there have been rising calls to close down coal energy stations and transition to renewable vitality, which is cleaner and extra sustainable; a phrase coined as “simply transition”.
“A simply transition to scrub, renewable vitality just isn’t solely a local weather necessity, however it’s a public-health and environmental justice crucial,” she says.
In 2021, South Africa launched the Simply Vitality Transition Partnership to maneuver away from fossil fuels to renewable vitality. Germany, the UK, France, the US and the European Union dedicated to offering South Africa with $8.5bn.
However in March 2025, United States President Donald Trump pulled out of the settlement with about $1.5bn of funding after relations between Pretoria and Washington deteriorated.
About $583m (R9.3bn) has been allotted underneath the Simply Vitality Transition Partnership in areas just like the electrical energy sector, inexperienced hydrogen, new vitality autos, expertise improvement and a transition away from coal in Mpumalanga.
South Africa has additionally launched reforms within the vitality sector to draw investments into renewables. As an example, the personal sector is now allowed to generate renewable electrical energy with no licence for initiatives as much as 100MW.
However there was pushback towards the deliberate simply vitality transition from labour unions and politicians who argue that the shutdown of coal mines will end in job losses.
Specialists say the expansion caused by fossil fuels is a double-edged sword. Whereas it appears to be benefiting the nation, the truth is that it’s inflicting immense hurt.
Melanie Jean Murcott, an adjunct affiliate professor of regulation on the College of Cape City, says the Structure mandates that financial improvement should be ‘justifiable’ when weighed towards the necessity to safe ecologically sustainable improvement. Everybody within the nation has the precise to an atmosphere that’s not dangerous to their well being and well-being.
“Progress that’s not aligned with this constitutional mandate is illegal,” she says.
Murcott says the Local weather Change Act enacted by the South African parliament in 2024 requires that climate-resilient improvement pathways be pursued by the decarbonization of the economic system.
“This necessitates quickly phasing out fossil gas exploitation and pursuing much less dangerous alternate options in a fashion that’s simply and equitable,” she says.
Again in Mpumalanga, Mbonani says they need accountability and to switch coal-fired energy vegetation with renewable vitality initiatives, creating employment for locals who’re within the coal business.
“There may be plenty of injustice in our neighborhood. We’re sick, and we would like investments in our neighborhood,” she says.
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