Gauteng Provincial Disaster Management Centre holds 2nd Provincial lecture on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change
Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA)’s Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) in conjunction with Wits School of Governance, today held a Provincial lecture on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change.
The lecture is the follow-up on last year’s lecture where MEC Paul Mashatile made a call that the interaction of this kind be made an ongoing thing.
This Provincial Lecture, which took place at Wits School of Governance, focused on unpacking the relationship between disaster risk reduction and resilience, enhancing understanding of resilience and vulnerability, as well as highlight the correlations between risk reduction, resilience, sustainable development and climate change. It also focused on the launch of the Gauteng Framework for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change.
Giving keynote address, DDG for Local Government and Community Support, Itumeleng Mokate mentioned that Gauteng province has improved greatly in the implementation of the priority no.1 of the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction, which is understanding disaster risk. “This priority requires that disaster risk management should be based on an understanding of disaster risk in all its dimensions of vulnerability, capacity, exposure of persons and assets, hazard characteristics and the environment for such knowledge to be used for risk assessment, prevention, mitigation, preparedness and response,” DDG Mokate highlighted.
“I stand here today proud to announce that the province has developed its disaster management framework and level 1 disaster management plan which aim to guide how disaster management must be approached and implemented in the province,” she mentioned. DDG Mokate further added that “coupled with that, is the completion of the macro risk assessment as well as the development of contingency plans for priority risks as part of the level1 planning process.” She said that all areas that were identified to be at risk were mapped and the process of developing community based risk assessments as part of level 2 planning is now underway.
DDG Mokate further stated that the impact of a changing climate is not to be undermined. “In this regard the adoption of a comprehensive set of policies, programs - global, regional and local -for dealing with climate change and improving resiliency to natural disasters is of paramount importance for not only creating a safe environment, but also contributing to global efforts,” she said.
Outlining a brief overview of the Framework, Aurecon’s Dr Johan Minnie mentioned that the framework builds an understanding that link between Climate Change Adaption and Disaster Risk Reduction is not only hazard-based but also relates to vulnerability and capacity. He mentioned that Disaster Management Policy Framework is the foundation of mainstreaming and that the Framework for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaption ties in Disaster Management as an agent of Climate Change Adaption.
In his closing remarks, Head of PDMC Dr Elias Sithole said that the Framework will take Gauteng Disaster Management to the next level. “Disaster Management should be an understanding of disaster risks. There is a need to shift from disaster response to disaster reduction,” Dr Sithole said. “It is however acknowledged that we have some challenge barriers. We are however addressing such, especially with regards to ensuring effective response and relief to our communities,” he highlighted.
The lecture also saw discussions by a panel of experts such as Mr Lucky Ntsangwane of
South African Weather Service, Wits University’s Prof Coleen Vogel and Ms Rina Taviv of
Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
For more information contact:
Neo Lebethe
Cell: 079 490 8060
Lindokuhle Ngubane
Cell: 072 324 1085
