Environmental racism: SA's marginalised communities suffer effects of pollution 'fuelled by corporate greed'

Stephen Grootes talks to climate specialist Robyn Hugo (Just Share) about the Special Rapporteur's report.

Extended relief from loadshedding has lifted a huge burden for households and businesses in South Africa, but it comes at an environmental cost.

Electricity Minister recently Kgosientso Ramokgopa recently came out again in defence of the continued use of coal-fired power stations.

He said this is necessary to protect the economy, and coal will continue to form part of our energy mix as we build new generation capacity for renewable and other energy sources.

However, there is a danger of toxic pollution 'fuelled by corporate greed and government inaction', warns the United Nations Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights.

Marcus Orellana visited the country in July and August to draw up a report.on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and waste.

Key focus areas included air pollution and the just energy transition.

Orellana noted that while our Constitution enshrines the right to a healthy environment, environmental racism persists.

This state of affairs is exacerbated by outdated laws and inadequate enforcement, he says.

"The negative impacts of toxic pollution from mining, coal-fired power plants, greenhouse gas-intensive projects, landfills, pesticides and other hazardous substances disproportionately affect marginalized and low-income communities along racial lines."

Marcus Orellana, UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights

Stephen Grootes discusses the Special Rapporteur's report with Robyn Hugo, Director for Climate Change Engagement at Just Share.

One of Orellana's key conclusions is that South Africa is a country with enormous potential and our people and environment must be protected as two of our most valuable assets.

"He says this must be protected from the detrimental impact of toxic solutions fuelled by corporate greed and government's inaction."

Robyn Hugo, Director: Climate Change Engagement - Just Share

The report calls out Eskom and Sasol, mega-polluters that have been getting postponements in meeting industrial air pollution standards or Minimum Emission Standards (MES).

"In their successful efforts to delay and evade compliance with MES both Eskom and Sasol have relied on claims that include 'look, there will be dire socio-economic consequences if you require us to meet the MES'"

"Both companies already received permission to delay compliance for 15 years, until April 2025... And although industrial air pollution results in signifcant numbers of deaths, severe impacts on health and wellbeing, economic considerations are invariably given more weight by government than protecting the constitutional rights of people who are most negatively impacted by our heavy reliance on fossil fuels."

Robyn Hugo, Director: Climate Change Engagement - Just Share

The way the Special Rapporteur describes it is that these postponements or exemptions have been extended to powerful corporate actors under the guise of economic development and job creation, Hugo says.

"We've seen in our draft Integrated Resource Plan for electricity, which the Minister has acknowledged requires significant remodelling but that draft focuses again on the risks of interruption to electricity supply if Eskom is required to meet MES and it downplays those devastating health impacts of air pollution from noncompliant coal plants."

Robyn Hugo, Director: Climate Change Engagement - Just Share

Listen to the full conversation at the top of the article