Project Background
Securing the Western Cape’s Chlorine Supply Chain
Current Chlorine Production in South Africa
Chlorine is currently produced by Sasol and NCP, both facing significant challenges due to raw material shortages, Eskom’s unreliable electricity supply, and ageing infrastructure. As a result, the country’s chlorine reserves for drinking water treatment are critically low—averaging only 6–10 days for major utilities such as Rand Water and uMngeni Water.
Existing Supply Chain Challenges
Currently, salt is transported over 1,000 nautical miles from Walvis Bay to Richards Bay, then trucked daily to Chloorkop (Gauteng) for chlorine production. The finished chlorine is then transported 1,500 km by road to Cape Town. This complex and inefficient supply chain leaves the Western Cape highly vulnerable to disruptions in logistics, raw materials, and production.
The Western Cape Chlorine Shortage Crisis
In 2022, the Western Cape nearly faced a potable water crisis due to chlorine shortages caused by port congestion and technical failures at both local manufacturing plants. Emergency coordination between the Western Cape Government and the Department of Water and Sanitation temporarily resolved the issue. However, the incident highlighted the urgent need for a regional solution to secure chlorine supply.
Proposed Regional Chlor-Alkali Facility
To address these vulnerabilities, a new Chlor-Alkali plant in Saldanha Bay is proposed. This facility would use local salt from Velddrif (40 km away) and serve markets within 200 km, dramatically shortening the logistics chain. Located near the Port of Saldanha, it would also enable exports of Calcium Chloride and Caustic Soda across Southern Africa. Importing chlorine remains impractical due to safety and regulatory barriers, making local production the only sustainable long-term solution.