South Africa needs to overhaul its disaster management system to address various legislative and administrative shortcomings.

This was said by South African Local Government Association (Salga) deputy president, Xola Pakati who was speaking at the opening of the two-day Local Government Disaster Management Indaba at the Radisson Hotel & Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Recent rains in KwaZulu-Natal resulted in the loss of lives.

Pakati said Salga has invested significant resources in recent years to lobby the government for this overhaul.

This follows an assessment conducted during the 2020/2021 financial year to evaluate municipalities' capacity to perform disaster management functions.

The hybrid Indaba, themed “Consolidating a Local Government Perspective Towards a Disaster-Resilient South Africa”, brings together leaders and experts in disaster and risk management, climate change specialists, representatives from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), non-profit organisations, as well as national, provincial, and municipal representatives.

Pakati said South Africa’s current disaster management system continues to be tested by increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

“The arrival of the rainy season quickly translates into widespread flooding across the country, with each year bringing more severe impacts on vulnerable communities.

“While disaster management professionals work tirelessly to mitigate risks and respond effectively, lives remain lost, critical infrastructure is damaged, and services are disrupted. Restoring normalcy and rehabilitating infrastructure remains challenging due to the significant social and economic implications. The burden on the national fiscus is also becoming unsustainable in the long run,” said Pakati.

Salga CEO Sithole Mbanga, raised concern about the lack of reliable disaster management data, calling it a wake-up call for the country.

He noted that only disasters which received extensive media coverage tend to get the necessary attention and cautioned that this reactive approach does not support proactive disaster management.

The Indaba provided a platform for international experts to share insights, including lessons from Brazil’s disaster management experiences, particularly the impact of extreme weather conditions in Rio Grande do Sul.

The National Disaster Management Centre delivered a comprehensive review of South Africa’s disaster management system, while Salga presented its proposal for the system’s overhaul, incorporating lessons from Malawi and Brazil.

The Indaba will continue on Wednesday.

THE MERCURY