The radical shift in approach to the Air Quality Management (AQM) strategy that has been introduced
recently, through the promulgation of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA),
makes provision for a number of innovative measures in the control of air pollution in South Africa. These
include the appointment of Air Quality Officers, the development of Air Quality Management Plans, the
designation of priority areas, the provision for stricter enforcement conditions, and the broad
implementation of monitoring. A significant change is in the form of delegating the greatest responsibility
for implementation of measures to the local government tier, comprised of metropolitan areas, district and
local municipalities. Local authorities are recognised as a sphere of government, however, they are
impeded, inter alia, by matters of limited financial resources, lack of skills capacity, and the slow
transformation of organisational culture and structure (Cloete, 2002).
The implementation ofthe AQA by local government is framed by an understanding ofthe responsibilities
of local government, as well as the principal components of AQM and their implementation. The selected
areas for study are Uthungulu, Uthukela, and Ugu district municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, representing
administrative and geographical variation. Existing and potential air quality issues, and their plans to
address these issues, were identified and assessed in the municipalities using the Integrated Development
Plans. The capacity of municipalities to implement the AQA was assessed using interviews, focusing on
the interpretation of the AQA, technical capabilities, and implementation of AQM. Awareness of
municipal responsibilities under the AQA was limited, although advances in AQM implementation had
been made by municipalities. Responsibilities reflecting technical measures or activities that were
currently undertaken by the municipality, such as monitoring and enforcement, were well recognised.
However, the related policy and management tools, of Air Quality Officer (AQO) appointment and Air
Quality Management Plan (AQMP) development, were less emphasised by municipal respondents.
Limited progress in implementation of the AQA was observed, with only AQO appointment and ambient
monitoring being significantly applied.
The greatest challenge facing municipalities is the securing of financial resources for personnel and
equipment. Progress in technical fundamentals is noted, most notably in emission inventories and
monitoring capabilities, although communication on air quality issues remains poor, with limited
mechanisms in place for inter-governmental or public communication. There is a prevalence of the use of
AQMPs as planning tools, as well as general concepts of town planning and zoning. However, in general,
planning departments are not involved. A significant proportion of municipalities have a means of
assessing progress, whether explicitly or not. A framework for implementing the AQA is produced to
guide local government efforts, and provides a summation of the outcomes of the research. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/10471 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Naiker, Yegeshni. |
| Contributors | Diab, Roseanne D. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
Page generated in 0.002 seconds