The South African government has announced new plans to combat rising vehicle emissions.

As the country prepares for a transfer over to cleaner fuels in 2006, the government has announced new plans to introduce emissions testing for vehicles to control pollution.

It is understood that the South African department of environmental affairs would like to introduce the mandatory tests in some of the country's largest cities by 2008, in an effort to crack down on those vehicles that are producing large amounts of emissions.

Tsietsi Mahema, deputy air quality management director at the department of environmental affairs, explained: "One of the most vexing issues is enforcement."

As such, the government is considering introducing the mandatory emissions testing to ensure that all vehicle owners keep their vehicles "at least fairly well" maintained, he added.

Commenting on the proposals, Mr Mahema said: "We are working with the department of transport to put, as an addendum to the vehicle emissions strategy, a clear programme for the establishment of an infrastructure for a vehicle testing regime (to) be done as part of regular roadworthy testing."

Emissions testing has been mooted in Europe as a potential answer to the problem of increasing emissions, as the testing can be used to force more people to change their vehicles for more fuel efficient and greener alternatives.


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