ELECTION 2026 | Springs air-quality monitor offline as residents raise pollution concerns

In the small community of Slovo Park, residents are facing air-quality monitoring issues that have raised concerns over pollution. The city's Sprins air-quality monitoring station has been offline since July 2026 due to a lack of essential technical maintenance and calibration. The monitoring station relies on specialist service providers, which are currently being sought through a procurement process.

Residents living near old mine dumps in Slovo Park have reported experiencing coughing and respiratory issues, though no direct medical evidence links their health problems to the dust from the mine dumps. To cope with the dust, residents often close their windows and doors during windy days. The city's Air Quality Management Plan identifies abandoned mine dumps as significant sources of dust pollution.

In addition to the dust, residents are also facing an unpleasant smell that settles over parts of Springs. Some residents describe the smell as acid or chemical-like, while others say it smells like sewage. Ward councillor Charmaine Kock has received complaints about the overall air quality in Springs, though she hasn't received complaints specifically about the mine-dump dust.

The city has acknowledged the issue and stated that local assessments indicate that odors during easterly winds are primarily associated with organic decomposition and chemical processes in regional wetlands. Environmental teams are monitoring affected wetlands. However, a separate pollution episode earlier this year was linked to hydrogen sulphide, which can irritate the eyes, respiratory system, and cause headaches, nausea, and breathing difficulties.

Despite this, the city notes that regulated industries in the Springs region are currently operating within prescribed minimum emission standards.