KZN's summer campaign to combat climate-related disasters
The significant launch, which marks the Provincial Government's commitment to disaster preparedness and resilience, coincided with the formal handover of new fire fighting apparatus and essential disaster response equipment to numerous municipalities.
Image: Supplied
ZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli and COGTA MEC Rev. Thulasizwe Buthelezi have kicked off the province’s Summer Disaster Risk Reduction Awareness Campaign.
Held in Umuziwabantu Local Municipality at Harding, the event aims to inform, educate, and engage communities about the risks associated with the summer season, commonly climate-related disasters. This includes floods, storms, and other climate-related hazards.
The campaign comes in the wake of several major natural disasters in KZN.
As a result, this has caused the local government to take decisive action and a coordinated approach to disaster risk reduction.
The emergency response safety equipment that were given to the municipalities in an effort to minimise climate related disasters.
Image: KZN COGTA / Facebook
To strengthen local emergency response, fire trucks and equipment were handed to 11 municipalities for a quick response in case of an emergency.
- uMfolozi Local Municipality
- uMvoti Local Municipality
- uMngeni Local Municipality
- Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality
- uBuhlebezwe Local Municipality
- Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Local Municipality
- Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality
- Madlangeni Local Municipality
- Nkandla Local Municipality
- eDumbe Local Municipality
- Nongoma Local Municipality
R1 million worth of additional disaster management materials and tools, equipment that, are essential in growing the immediate operational readiness were given to four municipalities, uMfolozi, uKhahlamba, and Umuziwabantu.
This has also created jobs for 50 young people who will undergo firefighting training.
This is endorsed by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), which is in line with the Premier and the COGTA MEC in creating sustainable jobs and developing skills for the communities.
“Disasters do not wait for budgets or plans, they strike suddenly and often unfairly affect the poor. That is why under the Premier’s decisive leadership, our provincial focus is shifting to actively funding resilience.
"Every rand we invest today in prevention and community education saves lives and millions in recovery costs tomorrow, said MEC Buthelezi.