In short

• Many urban petrol stations violate planning rules and sit dangerously close to homes, schools and hospitals.
• Poor regulation increases risks of explosions, toxic exposure and groundwater contamination.
• Mapping in three cities shows widespread non-compliance and weak enforcement.
• Researchers call for integrated regulation, stronger enforcement and better disaster-risk planning.

Many petrol stations may be breaking planning regulations and putting communities at risk, a recent study shows. Built too close to homes, schools and hospitals, these service stations are ticking time bombs in our cities—poorly regulated, dangerously placed and too often overlooked.

The day before Christmas 2022, a fuel tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas exploded after becoming wedged under a low railway bridge on Hospital Road in Boksburg, Gauteng. The explosion killed more than 40 people, injured dozens more and exposed serious weaknesses in how hazardous materials are managed and transported in South African cities.

Across the country, petrol stations can be found on busy roads, in residential areas and next to schools. Research by the HSRC’s Dr Kwanele Qonono, a PhD research trainee, and Dr Wilfred Lunga, a chief research specialist, in collaboration with Stellenbosch University, found that many of these petrol stations violate environmental planning regulations and are located alarmingly close to sensitive land uses.

The dangers of petrol

Petrol is highly flammable and toxic, and its mismanagement poses severe risks to public health and the environment. When stored or handled improperly, it releases volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene. Benzene, a known human carcinogen, can cause leukaemia and other serious health conditions (for example, organ damage, reproductive disorders and fertility issues) even at low levels of chronic exposure.

Leaks and spills from petrol stations can also contaminate groundwater, rendering it unsafe for consumption and harmful to ecosystems. Such contamination is not always easily detectable or containable, especially in densely built environments with ageing underground infrastructure.

Safety guidelines

In 2002, the Gauteng provincial environmental authority developed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Guidelines for the construction and upgrade of filling stations and associated tank installations. According to these guidelines, filling stations should not be built if they were to be:

• within 100 metres of residential properties, schools or hospitals, unless it can be clearly demonstrated that there will be no significant noise, visual intrusion, safety concerns or fumes and smells
• within 3 kilometres of another filling station in an urban, built-up or residential area
• within 25 kilometres’ driving distance of another filling station in rural areas or along highways and national roads
• within sensitive environmental areas such as wetlands or alongside rivers

Although the original 2002 Gauteng planning guideline document is no longer available online, it remains widely used as an administrative policy tool and has been cited in case law and sector assessments. A 2012 structured review found the overall quality of EIA reports to be poor but affirmed that the filling station guidelines were a useful checklist of critical environmental and safety considerations. While developed for Gauteng, the approach aligns with the National Environmental Management Act’s sustainable-development principles, affirmed later by the Constitutional Court.

Mapping petrol stations

To assess compliance with spatial regulations, the study mapped over 1,400 petrol stations across Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, using satellite tools such as Google Earth and geographic information systems (GIS) software. They then measured the proximity of each station to homes, schools, hospitals and other nearby petrol stations.

Johannesburg

The mapping (Figure 1) revealed thatJohannesburg has the highest concentration of petrol stations among the three cities, particularly in densely populated urban zones. Many stations were located within 100 metres of homes, schools or other sensitive land uses. In addition, stations were often clustered too closely together—sometimes less than 3 kilometres apart—contravening regulations in terms of spatial planning in urban areas.

Figure 1. Map of petrol stations in Central Gauteng, 2024

Source: Qonono and Lunga, 2025

Cape Town

Cape Town (Figure 2) also showed widespread non-compliance. While some stations were appropriately located in industrial or commercial zones, many were built dangerously close to homes, clinics and schools. The city’s mixed-use zoning, which allows residential, commercial and light industrial developments in the same area, has made it difficult to enforce buffer zones. With residential and commercial properties coexisting side by side, many stations have been slipping through planning gaps.

Figure 2. Map of petrol stations in Central Cape Town, 2024

Source: Qonono and Lunga, 2025

Durban

In Durban (Figure 3), petrol stations were often located along major transport corridors. The study found that land-use controls in Durban were poorly enforced, leading to a high number of stations in peri-urban and informal areas without adequate safety infrastructure. These areas are particularly vulnerable to groundwater contamination and air pollution due to poor drainage, inadequate containment systems and limited municipal oversight.

Figure 3. Map of petrol stations in Central Durban, 2024

Source: Qonono and Lunga, 2025

Not just a local problem

“These spatial patterns indicate a regulatory gap in land-use enforcement and raise serious concerns about disaster preparedness and risk exposure in urban areas,” Qonono and Lunga noted.

The problem extends beyond South Africa. Similar studies in Nigeria and Uganda have found that petrol stations are frequently built too close to homes, schools and other critical infrastructure.

Impact

This study is one of the first to use spatial mapping to provide concrete evidence of non-compliance with land-use regulations in South Africa’s primary cities. While relocating existing petrol stations is often impractical, the researchers recommend several measures to strengthen safety and compliance, including:

• developing a single, integrated framework that aligns zoning, environmental and safety rules to streamline approvals
• enforcing siting regulations more effectively for new petrol stations
• incorporating disaster risk reduction into urban land-use planning
• establishing emergency response plans for high-risk stations already in operation
• training municipal planners and officials on spatial safety and regulatory compliance

Although focused on South Africa’s big cities, the study’s methods and lessons are relevant for other rapidly urbanising regions facing similar challenges. “If not well planned and managed, the location of petrol stations in South African cities could increase disaster risks to urban populations,” the authors conclude.

Research contacts and acknowledgements

This article summarises Assessing land-use regulations for petrol stations in South Africa’s major cities, by Dr Kwanele Qonono (PhD trainee, Research Impact Division) and Dr Wilfred Lunga (chief research specialist, Developmental, Capable and Ethical State Division). It was written by Jessie-Lee Smith (HSRC’s science writer), with input from the authors. For more information, contact Dr Kwanele Qonono at kqonono@hsrc.ac.za or Dr Wilfred Lunga at WLunga@hsrc.ac.za.

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