THE MINISTER OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT (MINISTER) UPHOLDS SASOL SOUTH AFRICA'S APPEAL AND PERMITS THAT A LOAD-BASED LIMIT BE APPLIED TO REGULATE SULPHUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS FROM THE BOI

JOHANNESBURG, April 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareholders are referred to Sasol (NYSE:SSL)'s SENS announcement issued on 12 July 2023, wherein it was stated that, on 11 July 2023, the National Air Quality Officer (NAQO) refused the application of Sasol South Africa Limited (SSA), in terms of Clause 12A of the Minimum Emission Standards (MES) published on 22 November 2013 in terms of section 21 of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004), to be regulated on an alternative emission load basis, as opposed to the current concentration-based limits, for the sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emissions generated from the boilers at the Secunda Operations' steam plants from 1  April  2025 onwards. Sasol has been steadfast in its commitment to ambient air quality improvement and reducing its environmental footprint.

On 31 July 2023, SSA submitted an appeal to the Minister, as provided for in section 43(1) of the National Environmental Management Act,1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), to set aside the decision of the NAQO.  

On 5 April 2024, the Minister issued her decision, in terms of which she upheld SSA's appeal and set aside the decision of the NAQO. The Minister concluded that SSA's application met all the requirements of Clause 12A, and therefore replaced the NAQO's decision by permitting that load-based limits be applied from 1 April 2025 up to 31 March 2030. Sasol will engage with the Minister to finalise the regulatory requirements for the decision to take full effect, following which our atmospheric emission license will have to be varied accordingly. The decision is available on our website: www.sasol.com.

For further information, please contact:

Sasol Investor Relations,
Tiffany Sydow, VP Investor Relations
Telephone: +27 (0) 71 673 1929
investor.relations@sasol.com