Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
FROM: MANASE NEO SEFATLHE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTRY (GAUTENG)
The launch of the Gauteng Disaster Management Committee in Johannesburg last month by the Gauteng Ministry of Housing and Local Government was indeed a milestone in the history of disaster management in South Africa. Delegates from almost all ministries in the Gauteng region said the launch was long overdue given horrible and unbearable disaster statistics in the country.
Following the launch of the United Nations International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) in 1989 the South African cabinet gave instructions in August 1994 to specifically look at the means to reduce to the lowest possible level the loss of life, property and the economic and social disruption caused by natural disaster. Addressing delegates at the launch Henk van Elst, chairman of the Emergency and Disaster Management Association, said the United Nations (UN) natural disaster statistics covering the period 1900 - 1993 South Africa was affected by the most disasters on the continent. Elst said that according to Bradford University, 76% of all disasters affecting South Africa could have been prevented through pro-active planning and implementation programmes.
Elst closed his speech with this quotation: Policy makers indeed have options now, that were not available to them earlier. The focus of the policy question is critical. Do we allocate our attention and resources to repairing damage after the catastrope has occurred, or reducing the likelihood and/or costs of disaster occurring in our cities and communities.
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Disaster can have wide ranging effects on the economic stability of a country and its people. It therefore becomes the responsibility of the government to take preventive measures. It is also clear that government will need help from private sector and NGOs to manage disaster. This is simply a process of civil and property protection. It is therefore fitting that the Gauteng Housing and local Government ministry took the initiative of being the first provincial government to set the example. At national level the department of Constitutional Affairs should at all costs be the engineer of the whole protection exercise by rendering a strategic approach, co-ordinating and playing the crucial role in policy shape up. At local level the role of local governments should be to mobilise all primary role players including the NGOs.
Key role players at regional level include the department of Home Affairs, Agriculture Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Water Affairs.
The summit moved ahead by nominating the Provincial Disaster Management Committee as well as the Management committee and convenors of these structures.
In his address to the summit Minister Dan Mofokeng said that the Provincial government remain responsible for the administration of Disaster Management.
He said that there is exceptional relationship between the provincial government and all role players.
The spirit of life protection must continue for our economy to thrive.