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HOW TO READ THE WHITE PAPER |
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The White Paper consists of the following sections:
Section 1: Introduction
Section 2: Setting the context
Section 3: The National Disaster Management Centre
Section 4: Funding disaster management
Section 5: A new Disaster Management Act
Section 6: Training and community awareness
Section 7: Conclusion
Appendix 1: Table of current funding mechanisms for disaster management Appendix 2: Glossary of key terms used in the White Paper
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FOREWORD BY MOHAMMED VALLI MOOSA, MINISTER OF PROVINCIAL AFFAIRS AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT |
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The White Paper on Disaster Management outlines government's new thinking in relation to disaster management. In line with international trends and our national objectives of efficient and effective management of our nation's resources, priority is given in this new approach to prevention. Unlike previous policies that focused predominantly on relief and recovery efforts, this White Paper underscores the importance of preventing human, economic and property losses, and avoiding environmental degradation. Preparedness measures for more efficient rescue operations will remain necessary. But much greater attention must be directed to the introduction of preventive strategies aimed at saving lives and protecting assets before they are lost. Previously, scarce resources were diverted for disaster relief at the expense of growth and developmental opportunities, resulting in the worsening of the plight of poverty-stricken communities. The plight of the most vulnerable sections of our population was ignored and the very cause of their vulnerability - namely poverty - was obscured. In line with government's priorities, this White Paper pays specific attention to the pressing needs of poor communities in relation to both natural and human disasters. The new approach is in keeping with the government's commitment to alleviate the plight of poor communities through its national efforts in poverty reduction, land reform, housing, employment creation, and service expansion and delivery. It is also in line with international trends and particularly, the United Nation's International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. The media invariably only reports on major disasters. This gives the public a sense of being witness to a spectacle. On occasions, there is a great deal of emotion and members of the public make donations. However, it is the smaller community disasters that very often escape our attention. These occur frequently in the townships, informal settlements and in the remote rural areas. It is at the level of these "localised disasters" where the financial and human costs are hardest felt and the need for urgent attention is greatest. The myopic view of dealing with disaster management on an "own-country" basis must be abandoned. Regional cooperation in disaster management is vital and should be pursued with vigour. Joint standards of practice in the Southern African region must be established to develop early warning systems and ensure a reduction of the impact of cross-border disaster events. Disaster management is not the exclusive preserve of government. The private sector and civil society have crucial roles to play. The fostering of partnerships between government and the private sector is a prerequisite in order for sustainable and effective disaster management to take place. Similarly, the spirit of partnerships and cooperative governance between government agencies is equally important due to the crosscutting nature of disaster management. Monitoring, tracking and collection of information on phenomena and activities that trigger disaster events are crucial for the implementation of risk reduction measures. Moreover, the sharing of such information and creating awareness about the issues will enable all role players, including communities, to gain a better understanding of the relationship between human action, natural phenomena, environmental vulnerability and risk. Creating awareness is vital to the success of any strategy on managing disaster events. The White Paper proposes a number of tools to implement the objectives of the policy it sets out. The most significant of these is a legislative programme that will culminate in a new Disaster Management Act. This proposed legislation, amongst other things, will address current legislative gaps, and clarify and allocate responsibilities within government for disaster management. The importance of drafting such legislation in a manner that continues to build on the participation of all stakeholders who were drawn into the Green Paper and White Paper processes is emphasised. If we are to meet the unprecedented challenges that we face in all fields in order to achieve sustainable development, it is essential for us to revise our patterns of thinking. This White Paper provides the framework not only to go forward with the necessary legislative programme and implementation, but also to interact with our region and the world. The Ministry and Department of Constitutional Development would like to thank the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Disaster Management (IMC) for the leadership it provided in developing this policy and for facilitating approval by cabinet. Sincere gratitude is also extended to all those who contributed to the policy process. In particular, I take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the time and effort spent by the Drafting Team that was chaired by Ms Janet Love (MP), and to the United Nation's Development Programme for their support in funding this White Paper. |
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How to read the White Paper | Foreword by the Minister of Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development | Section 1: Introduction | Section 2: Setting the context | Section 3: The National Disaster Management Centre | Section 4: Funding disaster management | Section 5: A national Disaster Management Act | Section 6: Training and community awareness | Section 7: Conclusion | Appendices | The drafting team and acknowledgements | |