The Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs met with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on 28th October 2014 to be briefed on the national status of air quality; air quality standards; and compliance, enforcement and monitoring within the context of existing legislation. Consequently, the Department's presentation focused mainly on the legislative framework for air quality management, and progress made in this regard in a democratic South Africa. The briefing also looked at key statistics on emissions, the quality of air in the provinces, priority areas and plans for the future. The briefing on compliance, enforcement and monitoring highlighted ensuing constraints on enforcement, outlined outcomes, criminal enforcement actions regarding atmospheric emissions and other offences related to air quality and administrative enforcement interventions. It is in this regard that members of the Committee raised serious concerns about the capacity of provincial and municipal governments to enforce compliance, with the relevant legislation.