KwaZulu-Natal municipalities struggle with climate change readiness despite training

Despite all KwaZulu-Natal municipalities receiving climate change training, the majority of them lack climate change readiness.

This is according to KZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, who previously warned that these municipalities are forgetting that prevention is better than a cure. 

His exception was eThekwini Metro, which he said has demonstrated a thorough understanding of how to manage disasters linked to climate change.

“These municipalities fail to understand that prevention is better than a cure. Too often, they only respond when disasters such as floods, thunderstorms, or snow hit. This reactive approach is unacceptable,” he stated.

He urged municipalities to actively participate in empowerment platforms such as the Climate Change Council.

“If they attend the Climate Change Council, they can gain the tools needed to mitigate the impact of climate change and empower their communities to be better prepared. To be forewarned is to be forearmed – and knowledge is their best defence,” said Ntuli.

Turning to solutions, Ntuli stated that the Provincial Climate Change Implementation Plan, is a key driver of both resilience and economic growth.

“If well implemented, this plan will not only strengthen our response to climate change but also attract investors and businesses to KwaZulu-Natal. It is a gateway to development and prosperity, and it inspires new hope for a brighter future for our province,” he said.

By engaging directly with communities and ensuring inclusive participation, the provincial government seeks to build a united and practical response to one of the most pressing challenges of our time, Ntuli said.

Senzelwe Mzila, KZN Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) spokesperson, stated that in 2017, all 10 district municipalities were supported to develop Climate Change Response Plans.

He added that the department has introduced a set of planning guidelines and tools that require municipalities to embed climate risk considerations directly into their Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and Spatial Development Frameworks (SDFs).

“The process of developing these plans was preceded by exposure and vulnerability assessments of several sectors. Sectors that were identified to be vulnerable and therefore required priority in almost all districts included Biodiversity, Environment, Human Health, Disaster Management, Infrastructure, Human Settlements, and Water. In addition to these for coastal districts, the Coastal Settlements were an additional sector,” Mzila said. 

This process also produced a Vulnerability Assessment Tool for municipalities, which is available for continuous updating of the vulnerability status. To ensure integration of climate change into IDP, Cogta relies on this tool as a guide on aspects that should be reflected in a plan that has fully incorporated climate change, he stated.

The Council for the Built Environment (CBE), an entity of the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, responsible for regulating the built environment stated that it was engaging with key role players in the space of development of frameworks that speak to climate resilient infrastructure.

It said the role players include the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA), and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). 

The CBE stated that its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SALGA will yield in concrete programmes that are jointly implemented by CBE and SALGA, to support local government capacitation, particularly around the areas of climate change adaptation for built environment professionals. 

“The Council for the Built Environment recognises that South Africa’s current reliance on traditional grey infrastructure, such as concrete-lined drains and culverts, is increasingly inadequate to manage the frequency and intensity of climate-induced flooding," CBE said. 

“To support municipalities in transitioning toward nature-based solutions and Water Sensitive Urban Design, the CBE over the years positioned itself to start providing targeted technical assistance that goes beyond policy advocacy or advisory support, by implementing programmes that aim to build professional capability,” CBE stated.

One of the flood victims whose home was partially destroyed during the April 2022 floods, and has not yet been able to rebuild or receive any assistance from the government, stated that the summer season brings anxiety to her family because rain seeps into the homes, creating uncertainty about whether they will survive the next floods or not.

Zanele Mtshali, a resident of ward 45, Lindelani area under the eThekwini Municipality, said that her four-room family home, which has existed since the 1980s, was partially destroyed in 2022 during the floods.

“When it rains, water seeps in. My house is now half a house and half a shack, and it is not by choice. If I had money, I would have long rebuilt my home instead of waiting for the government’s assistance. But what I earn through piece jobs is only enough to ensure that my children don’t go to bed on an empty stomach,” she said.

gcwalisile.khanyile@inl.co.za