Strategic Communication on Air Quality Improvement Plan in the Emalahleni Local Municipality

Abstract Air quality in the Emalahleni area was found to be non-compliant with the South African national ambient air quality standards in terms of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (39 of 2004). This study aimed to explore the communication strategy that the Emalahleni Local Municipality (ELM) is using to raise community awareness of air quality improvement. A mixed-methods approach was followed; interviews were conducted with officials in the ELM and, in the second phase, questionnaires were administered to community members. The results from the qualitative data were confirmed using those obtained by the quantitative method. The survey questionnaires investigated the communication strategies and channels used to raise awareness of air quality improvement. An analysis of the responses showed a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.93, indicating acceptable internal consistency and reliability of the variables measured. The results showed that ELM community members are aware of the air quality improvement programme, how to maintain air quality, and the channels used to disseminate information. Although the dissemination of information on air quality is successful in the ELM, the approaches used were not strategic enough to encourage residents to improve air quality. This article suggests that an evaluation of the strategic communication interventions is required to properly ascertain the communication intervention outcomes.