6. INTERGOVERNMENTAL AND CIVIC SOCIETY COOPERATION AND COORDINATION

6.1. Role of national government 6.2. Role of provincial government 6.3. Role of local government 6.4 Role of non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and the private sector 6.5. The creation of a national disaster management centre 6.1. Role of national government National government must set out its role in order to ensure that the following objectives are met: Risk reduction measures are incorporated which lead to sustainable development. Environmental degradation is addressed where this is within the disaster management framework. There is a reduction in loss of life, in damage or destruction of essential resources on which communities depend and in damage to property. There is effective coordination, participation and cooperation among all roleplayers nationally, regionally and internationally. The necessary infrastructure is created, affordably and cost effectively, to implement, monitor and test the various phases of disaster management. It is envisaged that a lot of key coordinating and supporting functions that are the role of national government will be provided by a dedicated body such as a national disaster management centre. Each department that has responsibility for the various areas of concern in disaster management will identify its own set of plans and activities for implementation. It is essential that disaster management functions at national level and by doing so, facilitates and coordinated the process down to provincial and local government levels and with other structures essential to sustain the process (non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, commerce, industry, churches, trade unions, etc.). In this regard, the following roles of national government are of paramount importance: Some of the main roles of national government will be to: Ensure that a national disaster management policy is developed and maintained as part of the envisaged national disaster management structure. Develop a risk assessment programme and emergency plans that focus on disaster preparedness, responses and mitigation. Establish an effective disaster management structure that can implement, monitor and compile plans, in support of national policy. Incorporate disaster reduction, prevention or mitigation in socio-economic development planning based on risk assessments. Give recognition to and ensure that provincial and local authorities are able to enforce safety standards and rules, and strengthen their institutional capacity to deal with disasters and implement disaster management plans. Streamline the development, implementation and maintenance of emergency and contingency planning, and ensure that lifeline support systems are in place or enhanced. Further the development, implementation, and maintenance of warning systems, especially at the local level, and in particular the use of the national emergency alarm radio system and the institution of emergency communication networks like the 107 emergency numbers Enhance the existing capacity to limit damage by improving surveillance systems and by making early-warning systems in the different areas of disaster and disaster management more effective. Establish an enabling legislative and financial framework for disaster management, with due attention to the role of the different tiers of government, the private sector and individuals. Establish educational and information programmes to raise public awareness with special emphasis on risk reduction and preparation. Stimulate the active involvement of communities, local groups, women, and disabled people in disaster management programmes with a view to facilitating the capacity of communities to deal with disasters. Promote and support the development of research, new technologies and the use of local knowledge in measures that are aimed at supporting risk reduction and disaster management activities. Ensure that regional and international experience, knowledge and resources are made available to support national and local efforts in risk reduction and disaster management. Points of debate and key questions Who should be responsible as the main focal point for disaster management at the national level? What should national government's main role be in terms of prevention, mitigation, response and rehabilitation? And, in terms of its relationship with provincial and local government? How should national government ensure enough resources are allocated for planning and mobilisation of relief? How best can national government play a coordinating role? Green Paper on Disater Management Index | Top of page 6.2. Role of provincial government Many areas that are national government responsibility - such as environment and agriculture - are also "concurrent powers" (exercised jointly by national and province) in terms of the new constitutional framework. For this reason, the role of provincial government in some areas is well established, and in others it is not. It is possible that each line department within the provinces will work with national government to take responsibility over issues that affect their sector. Alternatively, provincial government may choose to appoint or establish coordinating structures of their own to ensure that there is an integrated approach to disaster management at the provincial level. The situation in provinces and main issues faced by them In terms of administrative capacity... Recently, the local government MinMec and the Intergovernmental Forum agreed to locate responsibility for disaster management under the Members of the Executive Council dealing with local government and their heads of department. Since the creation of the nine provincial administrations under the new constitutional dispensation, disaster management at the provincial level has become more fragmented. In some administrations, like Gauteng and the Western Cape, disaster management continues to be a line function because it existed there previously. In areas where new administrative systems had to be created, no line function or clear responsibility over disaster management exists. Hence, in these cases disaster management is either ignored, or simply no capacity and resources exist to fulfil obligations in this area. In many of the new provincial administrations, officials lack knowledge on how to deal with disaster management issues. In the case of funding, some provinces have budgets to accommodate staff and project costs, whilst others have funding only for staff or have no dedicated budgets to deal with disaster management. The level of disaster management varies from province to province, and therefore no uniform implementation strategy is in place, or is possible, given the current disparities in institutional capacity and resources between the different provinces. In terms of coordination and cooperation... By and large those provinces which have active programmes in disaster management play a facilitative and coordinating role by working closely with local government authorities. These provinces review joint emergency and contingency plans, and conduct simulation exercises. Provincial governments that are active often facilitate community training, awareness programmes and the installation of emergency facilities with the support of local government, non-governmental organisations, and the private sector. In some provinces the general experience has been that there is very little or no inter-department coordination on disaster issues. At the inter-provincial level, coordination mechanisms are weak, even though an inter-provincial committee for disaster management exists. At the political level, local government MinMec is beginning to give attention to the issue of disaster management, and ensure that national and provincial coordination becomes more effective. The main links with national government occur through line function areas rather than cross-sectorally. No mechanism for cross-sectoral approaches between national and provincial governments exists. Provinces that have active programmes in disaster management also assist other provinces that lack capacity or knowledge in certain areas of disaster. Cross-border forums, or informal agreements for cooperation between provinces exist in some cases. However, there is no formal structure or national strategy in which inter-provincial cooperation can be conducted and assisted. In terms of authority... While provinces can provide support to local government, there is no existing legislative framework that allows provincial authorities to ensure that there is a review of emergency plans and guidelines, or that local authorities implement various measures. Provincial administrations that work in disaster management often cannot implement preventative or mitigatory measures, as current legislation does not empower them to influence decisions taken by other line departments responsible for overall provincial planning and development. Points of debate and key questions What should the role and functions of provincial government be in the areas of prevention, mitigation, response and rehabilitation? And, in terms of its relationship with national government? Should provincial government set up its own structures, or rely on national mechanisms while itself only maintaining focal points? How should or can provincial government support local government initiatives? Should provinces manage their own disaster funds? Green Paper on Disater Management Index | Top of page 6.3. Role of local government Introduction Mitigation is the most important foundation upon which to create a disaster resistant community. This in turn is the first step to creating more sustainable communities. This can only be done by involving communities in the planning and development process. Planning and development are the main vehicles through which local government is able to achieve these objectives. Local governments - municipalities, district councils, and transitional local governments - must be involved in developing their own mitigation strategies. This includes educating themselves and their citizens about the importance of mitigation and the overall social, economic and environmental benefits associated with it. They must develop these plans in accordance with their own particularities, capacities and needs, but it is important that the community as a whole - business, neighbourhood associations, builders, the media etc. - are involved in this effort. Often at the time of disasters ordinary people respond spontaneously to the need to assist others in need. This kind of humanitarian gesture can be an important resource and needs to be mobilised effectively by local government. As local authorities are also the most direct link with key service delivery to their communities they should also be the best informed with regard to hazards and risks and thus develop and implement mitigation and prevention programmes. Some of the main problems that local authorities are faced with: The Green Paper disaster management task team undertook a survey in which a questionnaire was sent to about 830 local authorities in the country. About 200 responses were received. The following issues were the main concerns raised by all the respondents. In addition, the Green Paper task team was able to draw on the provincial consultations and meetings with local authorities about the key issues and concerns facing local government. General: Most of the towns are taking a reactive approach to disaster management. Only a few towns specifically mentioned that they are looking at preventative measures. This can be attributed to the lack of awareness and training to provide effective guidelines to communities. The general trend is towards providing effective emergency services and dealing with disasters as events. Also, each town faces different types of disaster, which require different kinds of plans, strategies and resources. Some towns have assumed that a contingency plan exists at the national level, and hence there was no need for them to undertake any responsibility in the area. Towns that have faced major disasters in the past are more prepared for dealing with emergencies than towns that have had few or no disasters. There is also a clear discrepancy between urban-based towns and rural areas. Urban areas tend to have more experience and resources, while rural areas tend to have less resources and plans in place. In the former homeland areas the situation is worse, with no plans and resources to deal with emergencies. The survey and provincial road show highlighted key issues that need to be dealt with at the local government level in order for more effective disaster management to take place. These key issues are: Linkage to town planning. The need for an official in each structure to be assigned a responsibility. The need to ensure consistent and clear local authority demarcations. The need to revisit/reassess contingency plans. What is the nature of local government involvement? Some local authorities have disaster plans in place and are implementing them. Some have disaster plans, but have not reviewed or updated them. Some have no disaster plans in place and nothing is being done. Some towns have recognised the importance of planning and are giving it attention. Some towns deal with disasters in an ad hoc manner. Some of the strengths in towns that have disaster plans: Some towns have identified civil protection officers and volunteers to assist in various ways. Some towns also have civil protection committees. The SAPS and SANDF are called upon for assistance. One town had a 24-hour radio centre for emergencies. Some towns have very good urban and rural networks and have sound structures, in the form of coordinating committees, in place to deal with disasters. Some towns actively involve communities in disaster management strategies. Some towns have identified relief stations and have secured emergency supplies, such as food, blankets, and equipment. The main constraints cited by all local governments: No funds for training or the purchasing and maintenance of equipment. Lack of a legislative framework as old Civil or Emergency Services Acts are regarded as outdated. In some cases provincial MECs have not allocated civil protection functions to local authorities. Some towns have indicated that they lack real support from central and provincial government. Uncertainties over when to declare a situation a disaster or not, mainly because there are no clear guidelines in place. Uncertainties as to whether to act in cases where demarcated areas are the responsibility of another local authority. Different departments have different demarcations for the same area. Current legislation does not provide for disaster management staff input into many areas of proactive decision making by other municipal departments. Some local authorities have undergone mergers with others, and this has affected emergency planning. Former black local authorities have not been adequately covered by civil protection contingency planning, training, communications and operations. The proliferation of local authorities in large metropolitan areas and in the country in general has made the overall coordination of civil protection services difficult, particularly in respect of regional disaster planning. The optimum utilisation of civil protection skills has not been achieved because of the high degree of fragmentation of civil protection resources. No formal structures or coordinating mechanisms are in place in some areas. Lack of commitment from volunteers and some volunteers want to be paid. Lack of training of both officials and community. Experience red tape when other national departments are called in for assistance. No dedicated staff or lack of funds to appoint full-time civil defence people. Some towns have no resources and so they rely on the district council or other towns for support - both of which are often too far away. These provide support on an agency basis. Some towns use existing staff to carry out civil defence work on top of their other functions. Some towns do not consider disaster management a priority and hence have not budgeted for it. No proper communications systems in place, and most contingency plans only involve local agencies and not the provincial administrations. There are for instance no emergency sirens or radio communication systems in place. There is a need to extend disaster management awareness to historically disadvantaged communities, and here the biggest constraint is recruiting staff that are able to speak local languages. Equipment, especially fire-fighting equipment, is out of date and in poor condition. Points of debate and key questions What are the key roles and functions of local government? How best can preventative measures be incorporated into the integrated development strategies of local government? At which stages of disaster management should local government be active: prevention, mitigation, response and rehabilitation? What sort of funding should be made available for disaster management at the local authority level? What are the weaknesses and strengths at local government level and how can these be overcome? What would the main role of local government be in the different disaster areas? Are the current roles clear and effective? What support does local government require? How best can local government involve community support in prevention, mitigation and responding to disasters? Green Paper on Disater Management Index | Top of page 6.4 Role of non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and the private sector Role of non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations Non-governmental organisations and the private sector have often played an important relief role in disasters, particularly drought. Some evaluations of past involvement of non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations during disasters have shown that non-governmental involvement has generally been positive. This is not to say that all community committees worked well. Some have been more successful than others. Conflicts between government and non-governmental organisations, and between community groups, can arise, delaying and hampering disaster management activities. Community groups have played and continue to play a major role in disaster management. They are quick in response, have local knowledge and expertise to their advantage and can also act as important channels for awareness raising and education. disaster management therefore needs to be a coordinated effort between government, various institutions, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and the commercial sector. Where communities are not directly involved and are passive recipients of relief, the result may be the aggravation of a "dependency" syndrome. Existing community networks and agencies can therefore play a major role in disaster management, but the pressing need is for such groups to expand their roles in disaster reduction and mitigation activities and not merely to focus on relief activities. Because non-governmental organisations can often provide relief more quickly - and in the case of small disasters, more appropriately - it is important that the government ensure that non-governmental organisations receive information promptly. At the same time, non-governmental organisations have much useful information to offer to the local early-warning system. Non-governmental organisations should therefore be a formal part of the local early-warning system. Even when disasters are so large that they are beyond the resources of the non-governmental organisations, these organisations are often able to provide assistance that is complementary to government. Good links with non-governmental organisations should therefore be promoted at all levels. Private sector participation The commercial and private sector can also play an essential role in disaster mitigation. Usually the role of such players has been in the field of relief and recovery. While the value of such contributions is great, the commercial sector should play a greater role in the mitigation of disasters through training, education and capacity building. Involvement by this sector can also be expanded from that of relief to proactive mitigation. International non-governmental organisations There are also a number of international non-governmental organisations like the International Red Cross and others who provide humanitarian assistance and are linked to the United Nations. Collaboration with these is important in ensuring that international assistance in disaster management is coordinated and can be used to maximum effect. Conclusion Disasters are often large and unwieldy events to manage, and cannot be tackled by an individual sector alone. The coordinated team efforts of a number of role players are an essential part of the management of a disaster. Points of debate and key questions What are the key roles that non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and the private sector can play? What are the resources available to non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and the private sector? Which areas of disaster management can non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and the private sector play the best role in? What role can international non-governmental organisations play, and who should coordinate assistance from them? How can non-governmental organisations be best integrated into early-warning systems at all levels of government? Green Paper on Disater Management Index | Top of page 6.5. The creation of a national disaster management centre Introduction One of the main problems with civil protection (now disaster management) in the past was the lack of a central or national facility to coordinate activities at national level. Recognising this shortcoming, cabinet approved that the previous interim disaster management centre - established initially with El Nino in mind - could possibly evolve into a permanent structure and be called the national disaster management centre for all disaster-related events. The exact roles and the operational mode that the centre will take is something to be fleshed out and debated in this Green Paper process. Even the idea of having a national centre or a more flexible structure is still open to debate, and there are proponents who take different positions on this matter. The following, however, are the main premises for the national disaster management centre: The main reasons for a national disaster management centre or similar structure: Effective, pre-emptive disaster management is not possible if it is not facilitated and maintained by a dynamic and purposeful organisation, from the central government level, through the provinces to local government. There is a need for a visible disaster management institution at the national level. There is a need to coordinate and streamline the flow of information concerning disaster management from and, especially, to the public. There is a further need to coordinate responses to actual disasters, rather than the ad hoc approach to recent floods, fires, etc. It is also necessary to plan for disaster eventualities at a national level. There are many aspects of disaster management that are not related to the functions of state departments, provinces, etc. These should be catered for by a dedicated body. Such a body will also have to promote pre-emptive disaster management practices, coordinate the actions and contributions of the multitude of players in the disaster management field, and add value to such contributions to enhance their public value. It is advisable that the national disaster management centre should remain - to some extent - remote from the institution under whose jurisdiction it falls. This will enable the centre to steer clear of departmental or line-function bias, and thus to better perform its integrating function. In terms of size, it is envisaged that the disaster management centre be in the order of a chief directorate with four directorates. From the above it is clear that the main functions of the disaster management centre should be to plan, coordinate, facilitate, assist and to give advice in the areas of risk reduction and disaster management. Only once there is agreement on its functions can concrete recommendations be set in place on its size and structure. The possible roles, functions and responsibilities of the centre are: To act as coordinator between all roleplayers. To develop a national communication strategy and serve as a communication base to receive information and distribute information to the decision-makers concerned. To ensure that all relevant departments are providing timely and appropriate information for integrated early warning systems at all levels of government. To facilitate the implementation of risk reduction and disaster management measures and to monitor and evaluate these. To identify the lead role departments in the event of a disaster and constantly ensure that information flows to and from vulnerable areas so that potential risk areas and situations can be identified and monitored. To provide national contingency plans and to ensure that provinces have contingency plans for every type of possible disaster incident that may occur in a specific province by developing a national disaster action plan. To provide early warning to the role players concerned regarding: Slow onset disasters, e.g., El Nino. Sudden onset disasters, e.g., floods. To ensure that the warning reaches all people concerned via the provinces, right down to the inhabitants by way of spelling out the consequences and providing information regarding timeous measures that can be taken. To evaluate the damage after a disaster. To provide guidance regarding proactive and reactive measures by developing guidelines. To assist in the establishment of a national disaster management capacity building mechanism. To meet regularly, but to convene at short notice to plan strategies in the event of a probable disaster, etc. To gather data about existing skilled personnel. Where should the national disaster management centre be based? It is envisaged that the national disaster management centre could be housed under the auspices of the Department of Constitutional Development. It will have an advisory committee made up of key government departments, non-governmental organisations and private sector bodies. The centre itself can form various working committees to advise in areas of technical support and improvements in the disaster management systems. These working groups can be based around specific areas of disaster that are most prevalent or recurrent in South Africa. Points of debate and key questions Should there be a national centre, or should this rather be a coordinating function at national level with the key activities located in decentralised centres (processes)? What should the key roles and responsibilities be at each level? Who should be linked and involved with such a body? Should the body only have government representation or representatives from the private, non-governmental organisation and community-based organisation sectors as well? Green Paper on Disater Management Index | Top of page General | 1. Introduction | 2. Key principles for a Disaster Management policy | 3. Different approaches to Disaster Management | 4. Current situation in managing diasaters | 5. Ensuring that a system for Disaster Management is in place | 6. Intergovernmental and civil society co-operation and co-ordination | 7. Glossary | Contents