A year after the City of Johannesburg announced a R150-million project to rehabilitate the decommissioned Kya Sands landfill, residents living nearby say recurring waste fires and smoke from illegal dumping continue to affect their daily lives, with some reporting breathing problems. The Kya Sands landfill site, decommissioned more than 15 years ago after reaching capacity, borders a densely populated informal settlement, several middle class residential suburbs and an industrial manufacturing hub.  The City previously estimated that deteriorating air quality associated with the fires was affecting about 80,000 residents in and around Fourways, Cedar Lakes and Bloubosrand. Smoke affecting residents “I cough every single day. It recently woke me up at 3 o’clock in the morning, because I couldn’t breathe, and I started coughing immediately,” says 60-year-old Deborah Ball, who moved into an estate in Craigavon in August last year. She said she did not have asthma before moving to the area but developed bronchial problems during winter. When the burning becomes intense, she said she immediately notices a difference in her breathing. Ball says the smoke sometimes has an acrid smell, which she believes comes from materials such as tyres, rubber or chemicals being burned. “It’s really bad, like a horrible toxic smell that you can’t breathe.” ” I’ve had to start using an inhaler pump, because my chest closes now.” Illegal dumping continues Ward 98 councillor Davon Steenkamp says a boundary wall is being built as part of the City’s R150-million rehabilitation project, but trucks are still dumping waste on nearby private properties, where he says it is set alight to make space for the next load. “There have been a lot of residents complaining about respiratory problems. Even myself, when I drive through there or go into that area, it affects my sinuses, so I know very well what some of the repercussions are.” “It is also very sad for the people living in the informal settlements nearby because, unlike the people in the surrounding areas outside the settlement, they cannot afford to get air purifiers. They constantly have to close their doors, and it is also difficult for the children who are living there,” said Steenkamp. “The informal settlement residents cannot really do anything about this. The illegal dumpers are part of a syndicate that makes millions of rands a month, and they come there with weapons, so it is a dangerous situation.” The issue of organised crime syndicates, known locally as “waste-lords”, operating unchecked in the area has been widely reported, but despite the proposed rehabilitation project, hundreds of trucks are reportedly still accessing several illegal dumping sites for a fee. Chairperson of the police forum, Lizzy Mabena, believes measures should be taken to address abandoned land and initiatives explored to establish if the City can take over these properties, as many of them have accumulated significant municipal debt. “The City seems to be failing to hold large companies accountable, there are allegations that some are illegally dumping at the site, with others reportedly contracted by the City itself,” says Mabena. City says rehabilitation is underway The City of Johannesburg’s Environment and Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) admits the Kya Sands landfill, which ceased operations in 2010, has become a hotspot for illegal dumping and related environmental challenges.  In a statement MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Jack Sekwaila, said recurring waste fires were contributing to deteriorating air quality in Fourways, Cedar Lakes and Bloubosrand. Sekwaila says measures to curb illegal dumping have been strengthened, and interventions to extinguish and prevent recurring fires are actively underway. EISD Executive Director Dr Tebogo Modiba described the project as a long-term intervention aimed at permanently securing the site, preventing illegal activities and providing a long-term waste management solution for the area. The City said approximately 98,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste had been removed, while security personnel had been deployed at the site. It said eight local SMMEs had been subcontracted for plant hire and other services, with 37 community members employed on the project. The City also said air quality monitoring systems were completed in January 2026. For Deborah, however, the impact remains immediate. “We really are not living in a very healthy environment right now.” Author Gerald Masuku Ditiro Gerald Masuku is a senior multimedia and digital journalist with experience across print, digital, social media, and magazine publications. I am passionate about multimedia storytelling, and have covered diverse beats. View all posts

Seventy-five percent of girl learners surveyed in I_Menstruate Movement’s Bleeding in Silence: Barriers to Menstrual Hygiene Among School Girls in South Africa research reported distress at menarche, their first menstruation. This finding highlights an often-overlooked dimension of menstrual health: the emotional impact of navigating menstruation without adequate information, resources and support.  As we commemorated World Mental Health Day on 10 October and the International Day of the Girl Child on 11 October, I_Menstruate Movement is calling for urgent action to address the systemic barriers that undermine girls’ dignity, mental wellbeing, safety and right to education. The Movement is marking these commemorations in Maseru, Lesotho, through participation in the 29th Ordinary Session of the Civil Society Organisations Forum, the 48th Ordinary Session of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), and a side event on Utilising the ACERWC Mechanisms for Universal Child WASH and Menstrual Hygiene, hosted by the Centre for Human Rights based at the University of Pretoria. Our participation brings the lived experiences of children in South African schools into continental conversations on children’s rights and accountability. It reinforces a central message of our work: menstrual health cannot be separated from mental wellbeing, education, safety, dignity and equality.  Menstrual health is more than access to products When girls lack menstrual products, clean water, safe toilets and accurate information, menstruation can become a source of anxiety, shame and exclusion. Stigma and fear of embarrassment can make it difficult for children to ask for help, participate confidently at school or manage menstruation with dignity. Menstruation itself is not a mental health problem. However, the conditions surrounding it, including stigma, inadequate facilities and a lack of support, can contribute to emotional distress. Governments must therefore treat menstrual health as an essential part of protecting children’s physical and mental wellbeing, rather than leaving girls to navigate these challenges alone.  Girls must help shape the solutions At I_Menstruate Movement, we challenge these systemic barriers through participatory research, child-led advocacy, education and movement-building. Our Menstrual Health Equity Bill, developed through a child-led process with school-going members, demonstrates that children can identify policy failures and help shape the legislative protections needed to address them. We believe girls must not only be heard when policies are developed; they must have meaningful opportunities to shape solutions, influence public investment and hold decision-makers accountable.  From commitments to action We call on governments across South Africa and Africa to invest in safe and accessible school WASH facilities, reliable access to menstrual products, age-appropriate menstrual health education and supportive environments where children can speak openly without fear or stigma. These commitments must be backed by adequate budgets, clear responsibilities and mechanisms to monitor implementation. Continental platforms such as the ACERWC provide important opportunities for civil society to bring evidence of children’s lived experiences into regional accountability processes and press governments to fulfil their obligations. Children, especially girls, must be part of these processes, not simply the subjects of policies designed by adults. As we mark these two important days, our message is clear: girls should not have to endure shame, distress or exclusion because they menstruate. Menstrual dignity is a matter of children’s rights, and those rights must be protected, resourced and fulfilled. We must stop asking girls to adapt to systems that fail them and start changing those systems.  Author Tracey Malawana Tracey Malawana is the founder and Executive Director of I_Menstruate Movement. View all posts http://imenstruate.org/ Founder and Executive Director

Tshegofatso Molamo has spent more than a decade trying to understand why she lost her ability to walk after medical complications during childbirth in May 2012. She says doctors at two hospitals in the province have been unable to provide her with an explanation about what went wrong during labour.  But her mother, Anna says getting her daughter the healthcare she needs now is the family’s biggest concern. The family says home-based healthcare visits stopped without explanation in December last year. Tshegofatso, who cannot sit or walk and who survives on social grants, says she is unable to travel to a health facility without assistance.  “Ever since I’ve been bedridden, and unable to sit or walk, my life has been miserable.“ The Limpopo Health Department has meanwhile acknowledged that Tshegofatso’s medical records cannot be found, and they are unable to follow-up on the issue of home-based care until her file can be located. The provincial department also told Health-e News that they are unable to assist Tshegofatso with transport. Her mother, Anna says the family has been struggling to provide the care at home that Tshegofatso needs.  “Tshegofatso’s life has been painful for her and the rest of the family,” says Anna.  “I had to quit my job after she was discharged from Mankweng so that I can take care of her on a fulltime basis. As a family that survives on her R2 338 disability grant and child support grant for her daughter, we’re unable to take her to a specialist.”  Tshegofatso says her condition has also left her dependent on her family for her daily care. “I’m having to rely on my mother to change my diapers.”  Years without answers Tshegofatso says she lost her mobility during childbirth in 2012 but doctors never explained to her why. According to Tshegofatso, she was unconscious at her home on 30 May 2012 when neighbours called for an ambulance to be dispatched to her home at Mogaung village in the Sekhukhune district of Limpopo. She was rushed to Philadelphia Hospital more than 60 kilometres away where her baby was delivered through caesarean section. Tshegofatso says because she arrived at hospital by herself, unconscious and unable to speak, her file was opened as “unknown patient”. She says after her baby was born,  she was transferred to Mankweng Tertiary Hospital in Polokwane, more than 180 kilometers away from home. According to Tshegofatso she stayed at the health facility for six months.  She says medical staff could not determine at the time what caused her immobility and she was sent home in November 2012 without an explanation. “Although I have no vivid recollection of some events during childbirth at Philadelphia Hospital and the subsequent transfer to Mankweng, I remember asking a doctor why I can’t move. The doctor told me that there were serious complications during childbirth but never explained further. I was so devastated. I can’t remember how I reached home after being discharged,” she says.  Anna says since 2012 to date, her daughter also traveled to St. Ritas District Hospital – about 30 kilometers from their village – and Witbank Provincial Hospital in Mpumalanga – more than 150 kilometers from their village – in an attempt to find out what caused her immobility and to get medical assistance. But the family claims both healthcare facilities refused to admit her because her medical file from Mankweng Hospital could not be tracked down.  Homebased care stopped Anna says over the years, a homebased caregiver used to visit Tshegofatso at home, but she stopped coming in December and they were not informed why.  “The caregiver used to bring some pills but she hasn’t visited us in a while,” says Anna.  Community leader, Lucas Sefoka who is also a neighbour, says after they realised that the family was unable to access any healthcare service, he appealed to the community for help. “The family should not be left to manage a severely disabled and bedridden patient without adequate professional support.” Sefoka says community members donated adult diapers, cosmetics, groceries, and other basic goods for Tshegofatso. But he says this is not a sustainable solution for Tshegofatso and her family.  Limpopo Health Department can’t locate medical file Limpopo Health Department spokesperson Neil Shikwambana says the absence of Tshegofatso’s previous hospital file should not prevent her from receiving care. “The absence of a previous hospital file should not prevent a patient from receiving appropriate medical assessment and care. The patient can be clinically assessed based on her current condition, while efforts are made to retrieve or reconstruct any previous medical information that may be necessary to support continuity of care.” But getting to a health facility remains the problem for Tshegofatso, who is dependent on her family because of her immobility. Shikwambana says departmental transport is limited. “Transport is mostly meant to serve people who are considered critical emergencies and inter-facility transfers.” Tshegofatso says after years of trying to get answers about what caused her disability, she now wants the Health Department to help her access the medical care she needs. Author Moyahabo Mabeba Moyahabo Mabeba is an all-round reporter whose journalism career spans almost three decades. He has worked for several national publications and is a former editor of The Journal newspaper. His reporting has a strong human-interest focus, particularly on the experiences of vulnerable communities. A softball fanatic, he also works in marketing and publicity in sporting circles. View all posts

The old mine dumps surrounding Slovo Park in Springs on Gauteng’s East Rand are difficult to miss. Three of the mine dumps rise high behind people’s homes, forming part of the landscape of the small community between Bakerton and Welgedacht. Residents say dust from the dumps blows into their homes on windy days. But people in Slovo Park and neighbouring areas are also concerned about a strong, unpleasant smell that regularly settles over parts of Springs. Their concerns come as the City of Ekurhuleni confirms that its Springs air-quality monitoring station is currently not reporting to the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS). The City says the station last consistently produced reliable, validated data in July 2026. Essential technical maintenance and calibration have not been done because a specialist service provider is required. The City says it is still going through a procurement process to appoint one. Living next to old mine dumps Some Slovo Park residents who spoke to Health-e News did not know that the “mountains” they have lived alongside for years are old mine dumps. Sarah Nkabinde lives close to one of them. When Health-e News visited her home, she was coughing. She says her chest was sore, although she had not been to a clinic and does not know what is causing it. Although there is no medical evidence linking Nkabinde’s chest problems to dust from the mine dumps, residents say the dust affects their breathing and forces them to close their windows and doors on windy days. Another resident, Sara Koto, also closes her windows and doors when the dust becomes bad. She does not experience the same health problems as Nkabinde, but says keeping the windows closed is one way of stopping the dust from getting inside her home. Ekurhuleni’s own Air Quality Management Plan identifies operational and abandoned mine dumps as major sources of dust pollution. The plan specifically identifies mining areas east and south of Springs. The City says it has not received complaints from Slovo Park residents about dust from the mine dumps. Asked whether an assessment had been conducted to determine the impact of the dust on nearby residential areas, the City responded: “Not known.” A smell residents cannot escape Residents in Slovo Park and neighbouring Bakerton also describe a strong smell that comes and goes. Some notice it particularly in the mornings and afternoons, while others say it becomes noticeable when it is very hot or after rain. Tebogo Mokgoane drives through the area every morning on his way to work. He describes it as an acid or chemical-like smell. Gugu Mhlambi, who lives in neighbouring Bakerton, describes it differently. “It smells like sewage,” she says. “Usually it’s in the mornings. You can smell it even inside the house.” Ward councillor Charmaine Kock says she has not received complaints specifically about mine-dump dust, but has received complaints about air quality from Springs residents more broadly. Kock, who lives in Petersfield, says she also experiences the smell, which she describes as similar to urine. “You will wake up in the morning with a headache,” she says. The City says local assessments indicate that odours noticed when easterly winds prevail are primarily associated with organic decomposition and chemical processes in regional wetlands. It says environmental teams are monitoring affected wetlands. However, a separate pollution episode earlier this year was linked to hydrogen sulphide. In March, the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment recorded elevated hydrogen sulphide levels at Springs and other Gauteng monitoring stations. The department said the levels were likely responsible for complaints about a strong sulphurous smell at the time. It said exposure to hydrogen sulphide can irritate the eyes and respiratory system and may cause headaches, nausea and breathing difficulties. Springs monitoring station not reporting Kock provided Health-e News with a council motion raising concerns about Ekurhuleni’s faulty air-quality monitoring system and calling for all 10 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations across the municipality to be restored. These stations measure pollutants in the air, including tiny particles of dust and smoke that can be breathed deep into the lungs, as well as gases released by vehicles and industrial activities. The City has confirmed that the Springs monitoring station is not currently reporting to the  South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) because essential maintenance and calibration have not been completed. The last consistently reliable data from the station was recorded in July 2026.  The publicly accessible ⁠Springs air-quality dashboard also displays its last update as 30 July 2026. The last available readings from 30 July show PM2.5 at 120 and PM10 at 132 on the AQICN scale, both classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups”. Some readings over the preceding two days reached the “unhealthy” range. According to AQICN’s classifications, the readings recorded in Springs mean air pollution may pose greater risks to people with respiratory conditions, children and older people. The City says two lower-cost air-quality sensors have been deployed in nearby KwaThema and Daveyton East to help assess regional pollution risks while the Springs station is unavailable. The City also says industries in the Springs region regulated under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act are subject to ongoing compliance monitoring and currently operate within prescribed minimum emission standards. City promises to restore monitoring The City says it does not conduct standalone epidemiological risk studies for individual neighbourhoods such as Slovo Park. Spokesperson Zweli Dlamini says instead, it assesses health risks through broader regional air-quality monitoring. According to Damini, the City also uses data from its ambient monitoring network together with municipal environmental health practitioners to identify exposure risks. Dlamini says the City of Ekurhuleni has allocated funding for the maintenance and technical upkeep of its air-quality monitoring network. Procurement is underway to appoint specialist service providers to carry out the calibration needed to restore the Springs station. But Dlamini has not provided a date for when the station will resume reporting. For Nkabinde, the mine dust remains part of daily life

MAHIKENG – Pregnant women using Ramatlabama Health Centre outside Mahikeng in the North West Province, say they have been unable to get antenatal supplements from the clinic for months and instead have been advised to buy supplements privately from pharmacies.  The healthcare facility serves more than 2,000 residents in the surrounding rural community. One expectant mother, Dimakatso* had her pregnancy confirmed at the clinic in June and when she returned in July, was given one pack of folic acid and ARVs. When she went back in August she was told there were no supplements available. “They wrote it on a maternity book and said to me I must go buy pills at Clicks or a pharmacy.” “Where will I get the money? Those things are expensive.” Community healthcare workers in the area are concerned that the stockout could lead to health complications for both mothers and their unborn babies if not addressed urgently. “I didn’t buy them the first month after booking at the facility. I am waiting for next month when they say maybe stock will come,” said another pregnant woman in her first trimester. “I am scared for my baby. What will happen if the pills are not supplied again?” Why antenatal supplements matter South Africa’s primary healthcare guidelines recommend iron, calcium and folic acid supplements as part of antenatal care.  The guidelines state that iron can help prevent anaemia — low levels of healthy red blood cells. Calcium can help prevent pre-eclampsia — a pregnancy complication involving high blood pressure — while folic acid taken before conception and during early pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects affecting the development of the baby’s brain and spinal cord. A 2021 review of South African research found that anaemia affected between 29% and 42.7% of pregnant women in the studies examined. Health-e News found that at private pharmacies, a month’s supply of iron supplements costs about R160, while 30 calcium tablets cost around R120. Several unemployed mothers in Ramatlabama village told Health-e News they cannot afford these prices. Worry about potential health risks For pregnant women like Lebogang Mosiane, a 32-year-old in her first trimester, the wait for supplements is not just inconvenient — it causes worry about potential health risks. Healthcare workers at the clinic say without daily iron and calcium, the women face a higher chance of complications for themselves and their unborn children.  “Most of us are not working. We are depending on either a child support grant which is R580 or the SDR [Social Distress Relief grant] of R370. That R580 is for child food and needs, not for pills that I should get free at the clinic. Some are first time mothers like me. Why should I buy something which I should be getting for free,” said Mosiane.   Ramatlabama clinic staff, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed they have been experiencing antenatal supplements stockouts for months since May this year. “The issue has been reported to the sub-district,” said one healthcare worker.   Department acknowledges supply problems When asked for comment, North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, acknowledged that the province was experiencing intermittent supply constraints affecting certain medicines and facilities.  “The department is closely monitoring the situation and implementing interventions at both provincial and national level to minimise disruptions to patient care. The department has also sought to reassure patients, healthcare workers and communities that efforts are underway to address the shortages and improve medicine availability,” Lekgethwane said. Lekgethwane says the shortages cannot be attributed to a single factor or solely to the operations of the North West Department of Health. According to Lekgethwane, wider disruptions affect parts of South Africa’s pharmaceutical supply chain.  NW pharmaceutical services under internal intervention Last year the North West Department of Health issued a media statement assuring patients and communities of a stable supply of medicines. It noted that pharmaceutical services in the province were placed under internal intervention in November 2023 following a system crash of the stock inventory management system at the provincial medicines depot. Since then, changes have been made in the Provincial Pharmaceutical Management system with the aim of improving pharmaceutical service delivery and overall medicine availability.  Community health workers in Ramatlabama who spoke to Health-e News said government must urgently address supply chain issues at primary healthcare level, where most women access antenatal care. They say many women are now going months without supplements because they cannot afford them.  “If we are serious about reducing maternal deaths and giving babies a healthy start, clinics cannot run out of basic, life-saving supplements like iron,” said one community health worker in the area.   *Not her real name. Author Bakang Ditibane Bakang Ditibane is a communications professional and community journalist based in Mahikeng, North West. He has four years’ experience in communications and media relations, and two years’ experience reporting on health, public systems and their impact on communities. View all posts