"It's So Bad": Foul Smell Spreads Across JHB as Residents Urged to Report Symptoms, SA Reacts

• A foul rotten egg smell spread across parts of Johannesburg, waking some residents in the middle of the night
• Midvaal officials urged residents to document where and when the smell occurred, along with any physical symptoms
• Some residents reported difficulty breathing, while others pointed to a nearby industrial source as the likely cause

A mysterious rotten egg smell blanketed parts of Johannesburg, leaving residents alarmed and struggling for answers. The odour was severe enough to wake some people from sleep and caused breathing discomfort in several areas, according to reports shared on social media on 29 October 2026.

The Instagram page @thefeedjhb flagged the issue, drawing widespread attention from residents who confirmed experiencing the smell firsthand.

Midvaal officials stepped in to guide affected communities. Authorities encouraged residents to keep detailed records of where and when they detected the odour, how long it lingered, and any physical symptoms they experienced. Officials said that kind of information allows investigators to cross-reference public complaints with air quality monitoring data collected in the area.

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In the meantime, health advisories urged people to limit prolonged exposure to strong odours and to seek medical attention for any persistent breathing difficulties or irritation.

What residents experienced

For many Johannesburg residents, the smell was not a distant inconvenience but a very real disruption. One resident described being woken up at midnight by the stench, with the smell present both inside and outside the home, making it difficult to breathe.

Others took to social media to vent frustration, with some suggesting the smell originated from the direction of Sasol's operations.

View the Instagram post below:

Mzansi reacts to the foul smell

South Africans did not hold back in the comments on the page:

@thorajacobs:

"Yes it's so bad 🙈"

@jamessmoorcroft:

"From Sasol's side"

@heimastridvander:

"I woke up at midnight with that awful smell inside and outside. I mean the smell woke me up. Could hardly breathe. Melrose.."

@______wian:

"Johannesburg is falling apart. If it's not the water being gone for days and weeks, it's the substations failing leaving residents with no power, and now this? South Africa is a JOKE"

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More Briefly News stories on Johannesburg

• Johannesburg Water said on 23 October 2026 preliminary results show no contamination in Bezuidenhout Valley after a pipeline incident at 6th Street and 8th Avenue.
• Joburg EMS veteran Patrick “Pat” Cass has died after a prolonged illness, leaving a 38-year fire service legacy and moving tributes from colleagues.
• Container bachelor apartments near Jeppe police station, listed at R7,500 a month, have sparked a heated debate over Johannesburg rents and affordable housing.

Source: Briefly News