Pietermaritzburg is located in a valley. Air pollution concentration is at its worst during  winter. Pollutants are trapped in the valley and cannot be easily dispersed. This  condition causes the city's well-known brown haze which is a mixture of fog and  pollutants. This condition is mainly visible between 08:00 and 11:00 during the winter  when the radiation fog has not been dispersed yet. This also coincides with peak hour  traffic, which creates a spike in pollution levels that increases to as much as 10 times  the normal level. The brown haze disappears after 11:00.

IS SOUTH AFRICA DUE FOR A TROPICAL CYCLONE? 
Friday 10 February 2017: 15:31 

Most South Africans don't associate tropical cyclones with our shores, but they can and  do affect the eastern part of our country. They are rare (unusual) conditions, with only  one storm having crossed into our borders in the last 33 years. 
Current conditions show that a low pressure will form within the central Mozambique  Channel, and will very slowly deepen in intensity this weekend and into early next week.  Warnings have been issued to people in parts of South Africa to be careful. The  movement and intensity of these types of weather systems are difficult to predict beyond  a couple of days. 
Usually by the time they reach us they have been generally weakened after passing over  Madagascar and Mozambique. 

[Adapted from eNCA news]

SEWAGE IN GAUTENG DRINKING WATER 
Sipho Kings, 24 July 2015, 00:00 

Sitting on the bank of the Vaal Dam is  

the town of Deneysville which is being  

overwhelmed by streams of human  

waste. The billion cubic metres of water  

of the dam supply most of Gautengꞌs  

drinking water. At fault are the townꞌs  

two sewerage-pumping stations and  

the wastewater works that should be  

cleaning that waste. 
Clean water flowing from Lesotho  

(through the Highlands Water Scheme) 

into the Vaal Dam is polluted so much  

that it has to be heavily treated to  

become drinking water again. The  

majority of municipalities around the  

dam are in contravention of the  

National Water Act because they are  

not preventing the release of unsafe  

levels of bacteria like E. coli.

EXPORTS 

INPORTS

Unprocessed  Processed 

Maize, sugar cane, grapes Wine, syrup, mealie meal 

Rice, wheat  Flour, breakfast cereal

[Adapted from http://0- www.tandfonline.com.innopac.wits.ac.za/doi/pdf/10.108 0/03768350500163014] 

GROWTH OF THE WEST COAST  ECONOMY 
June 26, 2014 

Africa is experiencing accelerated growth in oil and gas production. This increase in oil  and gas activity, the location of Saldanha Bay in relation to West and East Africa, and the  size of the harbour ensures that Saldanha  Bay is ideally placed for rig repair and  servicing. With 120 oil rigs passing around the  Cape coast annually, the West Coast SDI has  been designated as an oil and gas processing and marine vessel repairing and logistics  services complex. 
Projections also suggest that industrial  development in this area is expected to make  an increased contribution to the Western  Cape economy of R28,7bn, and potentially  create 14 922 jobs. The issues of energy and  water security on future developments in the  West Coast have been raised as a major  issue. Other areas that would need to be  addressed include transport due to the limited  capacity of the N7, and infrastructure needs. 

[Adapted  from http://acceleratecapetown.co.za/saldanha-idz west-coast-economy/]

INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS 
Ivan Turock: Executive Director, Human Sciences Research Council 

One in five residents of South African cities lives in a shack, most of which is densely  clustered in informal settlements. These areas present the country with its biggest  challenges. Shack dwellers are exposed to hardship, insecurity and hazards from living  in unhygienic and overcrowded conditions on un-serviced and sometimes unsuitable  land. They believe they deserve better, which adds to their growing discontent  (unhappiness) and violent protests in recent years. 

[Adapted from www.hsrc.co.za]

ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE IN SOUTH AFRICA 
By Nezir Sinani 

Through its work at the Medupi site (mega coal-fired power station), Eskom is guilty of an  environmental injustice. In South Africa it is the poor who bear the impact of poor air  quality caused by coal-fired power stations. These power stations are situated close to  poor mining communities who live in poorly built houses that provide little protection  against bad air quality.  
The location of the Medupi Power Station in the water-scarce region of Lephalale in  Limpopo in South Africa, is another problem. The increase in mining and power  generation activities, has increased the demand for water, thus there is less water  available for communities in the area.  

[Source: www.twitter.com/NezirSinani]

THE SLEEPING GIANT – INFORMAL TRADE IN SOUTH AFRICA 
19/04/2017 

The SA food market is worth R485 billion. Of this, 66% is accounted for by the major  supermarkets and branded superettes (R320 billion); while informal and wholesalers account for the rest of the total market. 
Informal retail outlets have recorded the highest turnover growth in the retail food market  in 2016, especially those who focus their attention on the township counter-service and  spaza outlets. 
Counter-service stores cropped up in many parts of the country and many of the owners  of such stores are foreigners. Today it is estimated that over 85% of informal stores are  run by foreigners. South Africans have chosen to rather rent their premises to these  foreigners instead of using them for their own purpose. Informal traders often live on the  premises and trade between 05:00 and 22:00 seven days a week.  

[Source: http://www.supermarket.co.za/news-article.asp?ID=6851&CatTags=16-Economic%20factors]