Disaster Preparedness

Disaster Preparedness: Session 2, Friday 22 October 1999

1. Existing situation

_ A White Paper on Disaster Management was issued by the Department of Constitutional Development, in January 1999. Disaster Management encompasses all aspects of planning for and responding to disasters. Pre & Post disaster activities include prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation. Both risks and consequences have been managed.

_ South Africa is prone to a range of natural hazards, which are experienced almost on a daily basis on a continuum from an event, to a major event, to a crisis, emergency or disaster. A disaster by definition is a situation beyond the ability of local resources to cope.

_ The problem is that South Africa has no comprehensive management in place and therefore no co-ordination B White Paper on Disaster Management is to address this. The provision for declaration of a disaster in terms of Section 2 of the Fund-raising Act, is administered by the Department of Welfare.

_ All people are affected, however, vulnerability and consequences to hazards increases with poverty and disadvantage.

_ Disaster management affects and is the responsibility of every government department, within every sphere of government with a greater emphasis at the local government sphere. It is also the responsibility of the private sector, civil society organisation and every citizen.

2. Critical issues raised by critical evaluation of Department=s responses

_ The provisions of the Fund-raising Act are inadequate, it is removed from the local level, slow due to the mechanism in the Act, the relief nature does not address the infra-structure consequences and it does not promote a risk management, prevention or developmental approach. Input into the White Paper process has been made and legislation is currently being drafted.

_ The Department of Welfare has to be an integral part of the plans contained in the White Paper. This will be realized by a range of activities such as planning for risk management, all officials trained to play a role, by providing relief and working closely with other partners especially NGO=s.

Agenda for transformation in the country

_ The White Paper is a marked departure from the current situation and introduces coherence, has risk reduction as a core principle, with prevention and mitigation.

_ Need to move away from emphasis and attention given to more major disasters over events that have a devastating impact on poorer communities.

_ A partnership approach, with government as the primary actor in Disaster Management.

_ Regional and international co-operation is essential.

_ A new Act, funding mechanism and a National Disaster Management Centre are proposed. Drafting of legislation should be at an advanced stage.