HWANGE residents and the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) workers are seeking the intervention of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) over air pollution emanating from Hwange Thermal Power Station.
The developments were revealed by ZLHR's Jabulani Mhlanga.
In a summary statement on the events around Ingagula, ZLHR said Greater Whange Residents Trust (GWRT) and the ZPC Workers Committee were concerned about air quality levels in the coal mining town.
Ingagula is located in close proximity of the thermal power station, which recently had units 7 and 8 commissioned.
“However, since the commissioning of the two units, the air quality levels in Ingagula and the surrounding areas have deteriorated and there are growing cases of poor health caused by air pollution from the emissions of the power generating stations,” the ZLHR document read in part.
In October 2023, it was resolved that residents of Ingagula should be relocated to a new site following an engagement with ZPC.
GWRT wrote to the Environmental Management Agency (Ema) requesting information on the air quality levels in Hwange.
The human rights lawyers said Ema responded on October 23, 2023, but the ambient air sample results were for August 2021.
- Title rivals face tough weekend
- Zim health system is in intensive care: How it got there
- DeMbare, FC Platinum fight for Chibuku Cup
- MRP petitions prison services over jailed members
Keep Reading
“Efforts to engage Ema to obtain the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report had been futile, with Ema officials stonewalling both the Workers Committee and GWRT,” ZLHR said.
In June last year, the ZLHR said it wrote to Matabeleland North Ema provincial manager Chipo Mpofu Zuze requesting environmental information as provided for in section 4 of the Environmental Management Act, including the EIA report on the two new units at the power station.
ZLHR also requested Ema to conduct investigations into reports of air pollution to determine if the emissions were at acceptable levels.
A copy of the letter was dispatched to the Environment, Climate and Wildlife ministry, Hwange Local Board and Hwange Rural District Council.
ZLHR on November 18, followed up with the Ema manager, who advised that efforts were being made to give them a soft copy of the EIA.
The lawyers said on January 28, 2025, they received the ambient air quality report from Ema, done from September 10 to 16, detailing the tests conducted to investigate the emission levels.
The tests found the emissions to be well above the acceptable Standards Association of Zimbabwe and World Health Organisation guidelines.
“Importantly, the report noted that residents are more at risk of the impacts of the emissions as the community boundary is 600m from the auxiliary boiler site.”
The lawyers said ZPC committed to relocating the residents 10km away from the power station.
“ZLHR is consulting with its clients to determine the next step and may need to get independent consultants to scrutinise the air quality results to determine the risks people are exposed to from the excessive emissions recorded,” the lawyers said.
“ZLHR took up the matter to protect the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or well-being of residents in terms of section 73 of the Constitution.”
