The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Bernice Swarts, will lead the opening of the Department’s 20th Annual Air Quality Governance Lekgotla on Monday, 14 September 2026, in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.
The three-day Lekgotla is held under the theme: “From Mandate to Impact: Strengthening Governance, Collaboration and Implementation for Emission Reductions” and will focus on translating South Africa’s air quality policies, plans and commitments into measurable emission reductions, cleaner air and improved public health outcomes.
The Lekgotla comes at a critical time for air quality governance, with persistent implementation challenges continuing to affect progress towards clean air. These challenges include institutional coordination across spheres of government, uneven capacity, financing constraints, compliance gaps, and the integration of air quality considerations into broader sectoral planning and decision-making.
The 2026 Lekgotla will therefore deliberately shift the conversation from policy intent to governance in action, bringing together government, industry, civil society, communities, academia and development partners to identify practical solutions to implementation challenges and accelerate real-world emission reductions. Discussions will focus on strengthening cooperative governance and institutional accountability; integrating air quality objectives into energy, transport, industrial, waste and spatial planning; improving compliance, and monitoring; addressing financing and capacity constraints; and developing better ways of measuring the impact of air quality interventions.
The Lekgotla brings together government officials, industry representatives and civil society to share innovative ideas and best practices to improve air quality in South Africa. Delegates will also deliberate over issues which include environmental stewardship, renewable energy, community engagement, and government leadership.
Members of the media are invited to attend the opening session of the Lekgotla as follows:
Date: 14 September 2026
Time: 09:00
Venue: Radisson Hotel, Middelburg, Mpumalanga
To RSVP, please contact Evile Ntshangase on 072 211 6964 / entshangase@dffe.gov.za or Banele Mabena 066 420 0144 / smabena@dffe.gov.za
For media queries contact, Michael Mokoena on 082 906 5795
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