To all heads of departments at the national, provincial and local government levels and other stakeholders in the non-governmental, community-based organisation and private sectors and interested parties who deal with or are affected by disaster-management issues:

Your participation is requested in developing a policy framework for disaster management.

General directions on how to read the document are provided.

All issues and points of debate that you want to raise or comment on should be submitted to the following address:

Green Paper Secretariat for Disaster Management
Private Bag X804
Pretoria 0002

Fax: (012) 334-0610
Phone: (012) 334-0600
e-mail: saar@dso.pwv.gov.za
http://www.local/gov.za/....

Any queries and requests can be referred to the above contacts.
All submissions must be forwarded by 30 April 1998.

Thank you for you participation.

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FORWORD BY MOHAMMED VALLI MOOSA, MINISTER OF PROVINCIAL AFFAIRS AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Throughout our history, disasters have inflicted a heavy cost in human, material and physical resources, and damage to the environment. They represent a potentially significant obstacle to economic growth and development.

A disaster is an event which disrupts the daily life of the population of a community or country and can result in substantial loss of life and social upheaval, leading to many persons becoming homeless, helpless and hungry. The situation is further aggravated by the disruption, dislocation or loss of vital economic production and national infrastructure, including water and power supplies, communications and transportation.

Disasters occur when hazards impact on a community to the extent that available resources cannot cope with the problem effectively. The community itself needs support and assistance to prevent and cope with disasters and their effects.

Adequate procedures to deal with disaster situations and relief measures must be planned prior to the event, with strong legislation to empower those responsible to carry out the tasks. Regular training must be conducted covering all aspects of disaster management. Careful planning must be in place to coordinate the effective use of resources, both human and physical, for the saving of lives and property, limiting damage to the environment, and the return to a normal life style as soon as possible.

The development of disaster-management strategies must be undertaken before the event. Disaster management requires effective community-based strategies which will include programmes and measures to:

• Prevent or reduce the severity of hazard impact.
• Ensure the preparedness of the arrangements and of the community itself.
• Provide an effective response should impact occur.
• Provide for the recovery of a community affected by such an impact.

Measures must also be in place to request and receive assistance from outside the country. Many authorities and organisations are routinely involved in dealing with incidents and disasters which arise when natural or technological hazards impact on our communities.

An active partnership between national provincial and local governments, statutory and voluntary organisations and communities is needed in order to develop and implement effective disaster-management strategies.

The role of national government is to provide guidance and support to the provincial and local governments in developing their capacity for dealing with disasters, and to provide physical assistance if requested.

The aim of the Green Paper on disaster management is to ensure that an effective disaster-management system is realised and implemented by way of national policy which will be reflected in the White Paper.

The Green Paper on disaster management is presented to you for your comments and recommendations. We therefore invite you to respond to ensure that the views of all South Africans are reflected in the White Paper.

I take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed in the Green Paper process up to now and those from whom comments are awaited. A special word of appreciation is conveyed to Ms Janet Love (MP) who was willing to take on the responsibility of coordinating the Green Paper process.

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT TASK TEAM

Ms Janet Love (MP)

SECRETARIAT

Department of Constitutional Development: Directorate: Disaster Management
(Peet Stopforth , Servaas de Kock, and Saar van Wyk)

DRAFTER OF GREEN PAPER

Mr Saliem Fakir

DRAFTING TEAM

National departments:

Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (Mr Chris Swiegers)
Department of Agriculture (Mr D.M. Moerane and Mr M. Mbongwa)
South African National Defence Force (Col G.P. McLoughlin)
Defence Secretariat (Maj.-Gen. (Ret.) A.H. Repsold)
Department of State Expenditure (Mr A.J. du Plessis)
Department of Finance (Mr M. Maleka)
Department of Environmental Affairs (Mr W. Scott)
Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs (Dr C. Frick)
Department of Housing (Ms Puseletso Ntsane)
South African Police Service and Secretariat (Dir. S.C. Schoeman)
Department of Health (Mr P. Fuhri)
Department of Education (Dr M.M. Ramaromo)
Department of Public Works (Ms L. Gwagwa)
Department of Transport (Mr M.D. Visser)
Department of Welfare and Population Development (Ms S. Gordhan and Ms B. Zondo)
Department of Foreign Affairs (Mr T.L.F. Steyn)

Parastatals

Weather Bureau (Mr G. Schulze)

Others

Ms Diana Callear
Dr Ailsa Holloway (University of the Western Cape)
Dr Colleen Vogel (Wits University)
Mr Jorrie Jordaan (EDMSA)
Mr Henk van Elst (EDMSA)
Dr Milla McLachlan (Development Bank of Southern Africa)
Dr Theuns Eloff (National Business Initiative)
Ms Toffee Mokonyama (Technikon SA)
Ms Dina Swart (Technikon SA)
Mr Jens Jakobsen (Southern African Emergency Services Institute)

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
CBO Community-based organisation
DCD Department of Constitutional Development
DEAT Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
DMEA Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs
DoH Department of Health
DoT Department of Transport
DoW Department of Welfare and Population Development
DPW Department of Public Works
DWAF Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
EW Early warning
EWS Early-warning system
EMPR Environmental management project report
GEAR Growth, employment and redistribution strategy
GDP Gross domestic product
GIS Geographical information system
GNP Gross national product
HAZMAT Hazardous material
HIV Human immunodeficiency virus
LAPC Land and Agriculture Policy Centre
IDNDR International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction
IMC Inter-Ministerial Committee for Disaster Management
MCDA Military and Civil Protection/Defence Assets Project
MEC Member of Executive Council
MinMec Ministers and MECs Forum
MP Member of Parliament
NDA National Department of Agriculture
NDMCentre National Disaster Management Centre
NDMC National Disaster Management Committee
NEAR National Emergency Alarm Radio System
NGO Non-governmental organisation
NOCOC National Operating Co-ordinating Committee
OAU Organisation of African Unity
PDAs Provincial Departments of Agriculture
RDP Reconstruction and Development Programme
SABC South African Broadcasting Corporation
SABS South African Bureau of Standards
SADC Southern African Development Community
SAESI Southern African Emergency Services Institute
SALGA South African Local Government Association
SANDF South African National Defence Force
SAPS South African Police Services
SASAR South African Search and Rescue Organisation
SATEPSA South African Telecommunications and Electrical Power Supply Authority
UN United Nations
UNDHA United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs
UNEP United Nations Environmental Programme
US United States

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PREFACE: THE GREEN PAPER PROCESS

The Green Paper process is designed to set a conceptual framework for disaster management and risk reduction. It aims to outline possible management strategies that can be pursued to deal with disasters and risk in a more comprehensive manner. The Green Paper will hopefully also begin to establish what the different management requirements are for different types of disasters.

The Green Paper aims to convey an understanding of the difference between prevention and mitigation strategies on the one hand, and, on the other hand, strategies required when responding to a disaster event.

The Green Paper process will also begin to establish what capacity exists at the national, provincial and local levels for risk reduction and managing disaster events. An assessment of capacity is required because previous and current policies often do not take into account the resource constraints that institutions are faced with. There is also a recognition of the need to strengthen the resilience of local communities to cope with natural and other disasters.

The Green Paper provides all stakeholders with an opportunity to reflect on current approaches to disaster management and risk reduction. It intends to provoke thinking around a future strategy or strategies that will be in keeping with international trends - strategies that are more appropriate to current and future needs within the country as well as in Southern African.

The Green Paper is not meant to be the final word. It is therefore a document that still requires substantial contributions as the process of consultation unfolds.

Who was involved in the writing of the Green Paper?

A team was responsible for overseeing the Green Paper process (see disaster management task team). The team is chaired by Ms Janet Love (MP), chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee for agriculture, water and forestry.

The team comprises a secretariat, which provided logistical support to the process; a drafter who was responsible for the compilation of the Green Paper; a number of experts who have wide-ranging experience and knowledge in the field of disaster management and who identified cross-cutting issues that needed to be addressed; and officials from the various line-function departments involved with disaster-management issues, who compiled submissions indicating their areas of responsibility, current resources, constraints and needs.

Opinions were also canvassed from the provinces and local governments through meetings with provincial heads of departments, Salga and in provincial consultation meetings held in the provinces. A mail survey was conducted with local authorities and a number of inputs were received.

What happens after the Green Paper?

The Green Paper was submitted to Cabinet for approval in December 1997 and will be tabled before Parliament in February 1998. The Green Paper is also being released for wider public consultation and comment through national and provincial workshops. It is intended for this to lead to the formulation of a national White Paper for disaster management by June 1998, and the subsequent drafting of legislation to give effect to the policy on disaster management.

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HOW TO READ THE GREEN PAPER

The Green Paper is designed to present the broad framework and principles that will give an indication of the direction government policy on disaster management is likely to take. The Green Paper does not go into too much detail about the specific options and choices. It is intended that stakeholders who are concerned about risk reduction and disaster-management issues in the country will point out gaps and suggest ways forward. The Green Paper process encourages vigorous debate about the direction(s) that are being proposed. Visit the discussion forum on this site to participate in an online debate on the Green Paper.

In certain sections of the document, specific questions and points of debate are presented to facilitate discussion and elicit further thought and responses from the reader. This will also help to identify the main issues, nature of activities undertaken to deal with risk reduction and disaster management, and new ways of dealing with disasters.

Chapter 1: Introduction

This gives the background to the Green Paper. It presents the context for disaster management in South Africa, some international trends, and some of the emerging ideas on the best ways to deal with disasters in the long-term.

Chapter 2: Key principles

This section considers the principles that should guide the policy initiative and the design of risk-reduction and disaster-management strategies. Readers can either concur with, add, delete or revise the suggested set of principles and their content.

Chapter 3: Different approaches to disaster management

This part examines different approaches to disaster management and the key elements involved.

Chapters 4 and 5: The current situation, and ensuring that a system of disaster management is in place

These are the most important sections. They deal with the current ways for dealing with disasters and suggest an approach for a new management system. They highlight the key elements that a new system must encompass to work successfully and to deal with various aspects of disaster management.

Chapter 6: Cooperation and coordination

This stresses the fact that disaster management requires cooperation and the involvement of government departments, the private sector, academic institutions, unions, non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations. An attempt is made to begin to define the possible coordinating roles of national, provincial, and local government and the National Disaster Management Centre in an integrated approach to risk reduction and disaster management at all levels, encompassing all government activities and involving all stakeholders. It is expected that responses will allow the Green Paper process to establish whether these roles are possible or whether other mechanisms are available or should be established.

Chapter 7: Glossary

This provides an explanation of certain words used in the Green Paper, particularly technical words that readers may not be familiar with.

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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