Officials warn that poor municipal enforcement is amplifying flood damage and putting communities at risk.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers
THE government’s National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has called on municipalities to enforce building by-laws and tackle littering, which blocks and worsens flooding, as it declares yet another national disaster following last month’s floods.
NDMC head Dr Elias Sithole has announced that the declaration of the national disaster follows assessments of the magnitude and severity of severe weather that resulted in disruptive rains, thunderstorms, floods, and strong winds between February 16 and 28.
Sithole said that it caused a significant impact in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, and Gauteng and resulted in loss of life, damage to property, infrastructure, and the environment, as well as the disruption of basic services.
Earlier in the week, in a circular sent to national, provincial, and municipal organs of state, the NDMC head said communities must be empowered about different hazards in their localities, which, when not managed properly, will result in disaster incidents.
”To prevent and reduce disaster risk, all organs of state must develop and conduct public awareness programmes in line with their legislative mandates.
”It is only when communities know about such hazards that they will be able to take measures to manage such, thereby protecting their lives and livelihoods,” Sithole advised.
According to the centre, municipalities must develop and enforce by-laws that regulate and promote a safe and healthy environment for their communities.
”They must ensure that communities are aware of such by-laws and the implications of not complying with the by-laws. For example, building houses without approval of the town planning section must be discouraged as such development may be in contravention with the building codes,” Sithole said.
In addition, he indicated that littering must be discouraged as refuse will result in blocked drainage pipes, which will exacerbate flooding.
He also urged state organs at all levels that when they develop public awareness programmes, disparities among community members must be taken into consideration.
”Different approaches and modalities must be employed to cover all members of the community: the literate and the illiterate, physical disabilities, and age differences. Public education must begin in elementary schools. Empowered children will grow up as informed and responsible adults,” he proposed.
The government now has to identify applicable grants for the reallocation of its own funds to address the impacts of severe weather conditions within communities.
Provincial disaster management centres will coordinate initiatives for the reallocation of affected provincial sector departments and municipalities in consultation with the respective national transferring sector departments and submit requests to the NDMC for support and onward processing to the National Treasury.
Sithole added that it was now evident that climate change and other risk drivers influence severe weather conditions, which are a major feature in the affected provinces and the country.
”This calls for the heightening of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation measures by all organs of state and stakeholders, including communities, to ensure sustainability of interventions and resilience building within the provinces,” he said.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za