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If you stepped outside this morning, took a confident deep breath and immediately regretted it, you’re not alone. Johannesburg has woken up wrapped in a distinctly foul smell. Think rotten eggs. Think damp drains. Think salmonella flavoured chicken.
Before we all start blaming our neighbours, here’s what’s actually going on.
It’s not you, it’s the air
Joburg’s air quality isn’t exactly winning awards, and on certain days, the city becomes a bit of a pollution trap. When wind speeds are low and temperatures drop overnight, pollutants become trapped near the ground rather than dispersing. By morning, we’re all basically walking through yesterday’s leftovers, exhaust fumes, industrial emissions and other airborne nasties included.
That sulphur-y, rotten-egg smell many people are noticing? Well, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, it’s often linked to hydrogen sulphide and similar compounds, which can drift in from industrial areas or form when organic matter (we’re looking at you, sewers) breaks down. It's not dangerous at the levels typically recorded, just deeply unpleasant.
The Mpumalanga connection
While Johannesburg has its own pollution battles, the distinct sulfuric smell is almost always linked to the massive coal-to-liquids and petrochemical plants in Secunda, Mpumalanga.
Under "normal" conditions, the high-altitude stacks at these facilities allow gases to disperse into the upper atmosphere. However, as air quality experts have noted, it only takes a shift in wind direction, specifically a south-easterly flow, to push a concentrated "plume" of these routine emissions directly into the Gauteng basin, turning our city into a glorified toilet bowl.
Why today?
Recent heavy rains and low-pressure systems over the Mpumalanga Highveld have created "stressed" atmospheric conditions. When we have heavy cloud cover and high humidity (as we've seen with the Level 10 flood warnings this week), air pollutants get trapped closer to the ground rather than rising and dispersing. Throw in the wind blowing from the east after a massive storm system, and the city wakes up to a wave of haze and "rotten eggs.”
So no, the city isn’t on fire, it’s just Joburg being Joburg, and by this afternoon, the city should smell less like a toilet bowl. Until then, breathe shallowly and remind yourself: at least it’s not load shedding.
Better still, browse our list of The 7 best things to do on a rainy day in Johannesburg for some fun indoor activities.
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