Rows of home-made coal left out to dry in the sun are a common feature in Tsakane’s Extension 10 in Ekurhuleni. The roughly 500 families were relocated from areas such as Germiston and Benoni in 2005, but the area was never connected to the electricity grid.
Ismael Mahlangu (56) was one of the first residents to settle in Extension 10. The father of three explains how circumstances forced him and his neighbours to come up with alternative means for cooking and keeping warm during Johannesburg’s harsh winters.
“Coal is expensive, so we taught ourselves to make our own using duff, sand, and water,” he tells Health-e News.
Duff is fine coal dust typically discarded as waste. Residents mix it with sand and water to form a paste, mold it into chunks, and leave it out to dry in the sun.
For just R30, they can buy three 20-litre buckets of duff, which produces double that amount in coal after processing. Most of the households in Extension 10 use this method. Those who don’t make their own coal buy a bucket for R20.
Health Hazard
But this remedy comes with a host of hazards.
Mahlangu worries most about his youngest daughter. The three-year-old suffers from respiratory issues. “The smoke is toxic, but because of our financial situation, we have no choice but to keep using it.”
This is a concern shared by other residents.
“I have to wake up at night to check if my daughter is still breathing,” says Thandi Mlotswa (22), a young mother who has lived in the community for most of her life. She says she suffers from chest pain because of the coal they use.
“The smoke from the iMbawula can be dangerous, especially for the children. There have been cases where kids didn’t make it through the night, but it’s something we really talk about.”
Imbawula is a makeshift heater made from repurposed metal drums used for cooking and heating spaces.
Smoke inhalation of smoke, especially from low-quality or contaminated coal, is a well-known health risk. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the combustion process produces a range of toxic pollutants, including carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds, all of which can lead to respiratory illness, eye irritation, and, in extreme cases, even death.
A senior staff member at the local clinic acknowledged the rising number of health complaints in the area, but declined to comment on record. “You need to speak to the City of Ekurhuleni,” the nurse tells Health-e News during a recent visit. At the time of publishing, we were still awaiting a formal response from Ekurhuleni’s health department.
Lasting impact
Lindiwe Motsepe, a former nurse who once served in the area, warns of the long-term dangers that the residents are unknowingly facing.
“This is a serious issue,” says Motsepe. “The inhalation of smoke, especially from duff-based coal, can cause chronic respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, and even lung cancer. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable.”
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Motsepe believes that community-wide health screenings are urgently needed. “At the very least, everyone here should be tested for dust- and smoke-related diseases. The fact that people have normalised this practice is worrying. They’re trying to survive, but it’s costing them their health.”
Government intervention is desperately needed, says Mandla Ncube, a project manager for the non-profit Nozizwe Foundation. At the very least, access to affordable electricity or clean energy alternatives such as solar cookers or biomass stoves could mitigate the risks. Education on safe fuel use and the health effects of combustion smoke should be prioritised in clinics and schools. – Health-e News
