A pungent “rotten egg” smell hung over large parts of Johannesburg on Friday morning, unsettling residents and reviving long-standing concerns about air quality and industrial emissions affecting the city.
Residents in several suburbs, including Randburg, reported waking up to the overpowering stench, a smell often associated with hydrogen sulphide, a gas commonly linked to industrial emissions.
Noxolo Dlamini, 43, a Randburg resident, said her first instinct was that something was wrong in her complex.
“When I opened the windows this morning, I was welcomed by a pungent smell lingering in the air. I thought there was a blocked drain in my complex,” she said. “But as I was driving to work, I realised the smell was everywhere in Randburg.”
If you live in Joburg, you would know that occasionally there is this smell due to hydrogen sulphide emissions or waste-related sources
— City of Johannesburg officia
This is not the first time Johannesburg residents have experienced the unsettling odour.
In 2022 then MMC for environment and infrastructure services Michael Sun said a similar “rotten egg” smell reported across the city was commonly associated with hydrogen sulphide. An investigation by the city’s air quality management unit at the time ruled out a localised source in Johannesburg.
On Friday ward 102 councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete acknowledged the widespread complaints, saying the matter had been reported to the relevant authorities.
“We are aware of the gas smell throughout Johannesburg and have reported the issue. We will revert with feedback,” she said in a message to residents.
“A similar incident occurred in 2022 and was attributed to Sasol releasing gas into the air. However, at this stage, this is only a possibility, and the cause has not yet been confirmed.”
Campbell-Cloete advised residents to take precautionary measures where possible. “Please stay indoors if you can, and run air conditioning or air purifiers.”
A City of Johannesburg official said the phenomenon is not uncommon. “If you live in Joburg, you would know that occasionally there is this smell due to hydrogen sulphide emissions or waste-related sources. We are also in proximity to the Vaal area,” the official said.
TimesLIVE
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