Residents who experience recurring strong cat urine or ammonia-like smells are encouraged to report the incidents with detailed information to help authorities investigate the source.
According to the City of Ekurhuleni, residents can play a crucial role in identifying the origin of the odour by logging formal complaints whenever the smell occurs.
Log complaints
The city has urged community members to provide as much detail as possible when reporting the issue.
Complaints should include a clear description of the smell, such as whether it resembles sulphur, burning plastic or ammonia, as well as the exact date, time and location where it was detected.
Residents should also indicate how long the odour lasts, how frequently it occurs, the weather conditions at the time, and whether they noticed any unusual activity such as smoke, spills or drainage issues.
Complaints can be logged through the city’s call centre on 0860 54 3000 or via the MyEkurhuleni mobile app, where each report receives a unique reference number and is forwarded to the relevant department for follow-up and inspection.
The guidance comes after residents continued to raise concerns about the pungent smell that is often noticeable during the evenings and early mornings.
No specific source identified
A feedback report compiled by the city’s Air Quality Management Unit in the Southern Region and released on March 9, indicated that investigations conducted in various suburbs and industrial areas did not identify a specific source of the smell.
The report noted that the odour, often described as similar to cat urine or rotten eggs, could be linked to air pollution originating from industrial activities in the Mpumalanga Highveld region.
Certain nitrogen-based chemical compounds known as amines, commonly used in refineries to remove sulphur from fuels, can produce an ammonia-like smell that can travel long distances even at very low concentrations.
Another possible cause mentioned in the report is hydrogen sulphide gas, which is often associated with a rotten egg smell and can be produced during petrochemical or power generation activities.
Meteorological conditions, particularly between January and March, may also allow pollutants to travel long distances due to specific wind patterns and temperature inversions, potentially carrying industrial emissions toward parts of Gauteng.
However, the report also indicated that in some cases, similar odours could be linked to local infrastructure issues such as sewage spills or failing municipal sewer systems, which may release gases that produce strong smells.
Despite the strong odour occasionally causing headaches or nausea among residents, the city indicated that such smells can sometimes be detected even when pollutant levels remain within authorised limits.
Authorities confirmed that further investigations into the issue are ongoing. City officials said public reports remain critical in helping environmental teams track patterns and determine whether the odour originates locally or from other regions.
Residents who notice the smell are therefore encouraged to log complaints immediately to help build a clearer picture of when and where the odour occurs.
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