Skip to main content
ToxinFree
SENTINEL ARCHIVE / CASE #165

South Africa

Complete ban on all asbestos enacted March 28, 2008, under Regulations No. R. 341 — Prohibition of the Use, Manufacturing, Import and Export of Asbestos and Asbestos Containing Materials. South Africa had been the world's largest supplier of crocidolite and the sole commercial producer of amosite; mining operations spanned over a century (1895–2002), producing more than 10 million tonnes.

2008Full Ban
2008
Year Banned
6.8
per million/yr
Mesothelioma Rate
~5 million buildings
Buildings at Risk
1950s-1990s
Peak Usage Era

Regulatory Timeline

  1. 1890s

    1. 1895Event

      Commercial asbestos mining begins; Cape Asbestos Company opens Koegas mine near Prieska, Northern Cape — later becomes one of the world's largest crocidolite operations

      ↗ Source

  2. 1970s

    1. 1977Event

      Asbestos production peaks at 380,000 tonnes — South Africa is the third-largest global producer; supplies ~97% of world crocidolite and virtually all commercially mined amosite

      ↗ Source

  3. 1990s

    1. 1997Court Ruling

      Mrs. Lubbe and four other South African asbestos victims file the first English High Court claim against Cape plc — alleging workers were exposed to 30 times the British legal limit without protection

      ↗ Source
    2. 1998Regulation

      National Asbestos Summit in Johannesburg — government, industry, and civil society begin planning a ban

      ↗ Source

  4. 2000s

    1. 2000Court Ruling

      Lubbe v Cape plc: House of Lords rules (July 20) that English courts can hear claims from foreign plaintiffs against UK parent companies — landmark corporate accountability ruling; ~7,500 claimants joined

      ↗ Source
    2. 2001Regulation

      Asbestos Regulations 2001 (Dept. of Labour) establish occupational exposure controls; last South African asbestos mines close (2001–2002)

      ↗ Source
    3. 2003Court Ruling

      Cape plc pays £7.5 million to ~7,500 claimants; Gencor establishes £35 million Asbestos Relief Trust for South African victims

      ↗ Source
    4. 2006Court Ruling

      Becon AG (Switzerland) settlement establishes Kgalagadi Relief Trust for Danielskuil and Kuruman claimants

      ↗ Source
    5. 2008Legislation

      Complete ban takes effect March 28: Regulations No. R. 341 prohibit all use, manufacture, import, and export of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials

      ↗ Source

  5. 2020s

    1. 2020Regulation

      Asbestos Abatement Regulations 2020 promulgated — mandatory identification, assessment, and removal requirements for asbestos-containing materials in workplaces and properties

      ↗ Source
    2. 2024Regulation

      Asbestos Abatement Regulations amended (July 12, Government Gazette No. 50930): power tool restrictions strengthened; new prohibition on installing fittings onto asbestos-containing materials

      ↗ Source

Stories of Resistance

The people who fought for change.

Richard Spoor

LEGAL WARRIOR1990s–present

Human rights attorney, Richard Spoor Inc. Attorneys, White River, Mpumalanga

Richard Spoor is a South African human rights attorney who spent more than 25 years representing asbestos mining communities from the Northern Cape and Limpopo Province. His work resulted in two landmark compensation trust funds: the Asbestos Relief Trust, established through a 2003 Gencor settlement, and the Kgalagadi Relief Trust, established through a 2006 Becon AG (Switzerland) settlement. Together, these trusts have paid more than R540 million in compensation to over 6,000 claimants. The ART operates as an open settlement until 2028 to account for asbestos diseases' long latency period, ensuring that victims developing disease decades after exposure are not excluded.

↗ Source

Schalk Willem Burger Lubbe (and the Lubbe claimants)

LEGAL WARRIOR1997–2003

Lead plaintiff in Lubbe v Cape plc; representative of approximately 7,500 South African asbestos victims

Mrs. Lubbe was among five South Africans who filed the first English High Court claim against Cape plc in February 1997, alleging that Cape exposed workers at its South African mines to 30 times the British legal limit without protective gear. After her death, her husband Schalk Willem Burger Lubbe continued the action. On July 20, 2000, the UK House of Lords ruled unanimously that English courts could hear claims from foreign plaintiffs injured by UK companies' overseas subsidiaries — a ruling that fundamentally expanded international corporate accountability law. By 2003, a settlement provided £7.5 million to approximately 7,500 claimants and established a £35 million trust fund. The Lubbe ruling is now cited globally in cases of multinational harm in lower-income countries.

↗ Source

Asbestos Interest Group (AIG), Kuruman

GLOBAL NETWORK2006–present

Community advocacy organization documenting asbestos contamination, Kuruman, Northern Cape

The Asbestos Interest Group is a citizens' organization in Kuruman, Northern Cape, representing communities living among 82 documented asbestos mine dumps. AIG documented asbestos contamination at multiple local schools — including Gamopedi Primary, Reitemogetse Primary, Sedibeng Primary, and Khiba Middle School — years before authorities acted. Their sustained advocacy contributed to the closure of Khiba Middle School in October 2014, where 200 students had been exposed, eight years after the Department of Environmental Affairs first documented the contamination in 2006. AIG's work has attracted international attention, including solidarity letters from the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health in 2015.

↗ Source

Key Figures in Detail

Context and sources behind the numbers

2008Ban Year

All forms of asbestos have been banned since 2008. Buildings constructed before this date may still contain asbestos materials.

6.8Mesothelioma Rate

6.8 cases per million people per year. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure, with a latency period of 20–50 years.

This rate indicates significant historical asbestos exposure in the population.

Source year: 2018

Buildings at Risk

Estimated scope of asbestos-containing materials still present in the built environment.

  • ~5 million buildings
  • 82+ mine dumps in Northern Cape alone
1950s-1990sPeak Usage Era

The period when asbestos was most heavily used in construction. Buildings from this era have the highest probability of containing asbestos materials.

Material Identification Guide

Common materials still present in buildings

asbestos-cement roofing sheets

HIGH RISKNon-friable

1930–2000

asbestos-cement flat sheets

HIGH RISKNon-friable

1930–2000

asbestos insulating board

HIGH RISKFriable

1930–1980

pipe insulation (mines and railways)

HIGH RISKFriable

1920–1980

asbestos textile products

HIGH RISKFriable

1920–1985

asbestos-cement pipes
↗Learn more

What To Do If You Live Here

  • Your country has banned asbestos, but older buildings may still contain legacy materials.
  • Buildings built before the ban year may contain asbestos-containing materials.
  • Hire a certified asbestos surveyor before any renovation or demolition work.
  • Do not disturb older building materials without professional testing.

Check Your Property

Enter your building's age and type for a personalized asbestos risk assessment.

Check My Property's Risk

Sources

Last updated: 2026-03-28

Information aggregated from public sources including IBAS, EPA, and WHO. Not legal or medical advice.

How we source our data →