The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Ms. Thembi Nkadimeng led a multidisciplinary intergovernmental team on a visit to the uThukela District Municipality, specifically in the Alfred Duma Local Municipality which is one of the most affected by flooding as a result of heavy rains.
This engagement gave impetus to the integrated disaster management strategy owing to the inclement weather conditions that have affected communities and infrastructure negatively.
Minister was accompanied by the Deputy Minister Parks Tau, MEC Bongi Sithole-Moloi of CoGTA in the KZN Province and the mayors under UThukela District.
The Minister engaged various stakeholders from across all sectors of society representing a wide range of communities. The sectors included traditional leaders, faith based leaders and other community organisations.
The engagements provided updates with regards to the extent of damages incurred both humanitarian and infrastructural. The engagements and the assessment showed the devastation caused by flooding especially on lives and livelihoods which has resulted in extensive damages to properties and critical infrastructure collapse leaving affected families homeless.
The impact of natural disasters is made worse by the ongoing impact of climate change which has brought unprecedented weather patterns. Minister emphasised the need for all role players including communities to ensure better intergrated planning to mitigate the impact of such adverse natural disasters. She made it clear that disaster risk reduction and adaptability are the only way to reduce the impact of climate change.
Minister Nkadimeng called for all of society and government approach as we tackle our collective response to disasters. She emphasised the need to find a lasting solution particularly for the flooding of the Ladysmith Central Business District (CBD) through channeling water towards preservation dams or catchment areas to avoid flooding.
The Minister also appreciated the ongoing work and urged that other additional planned interventions in the municipality geared to improving mitigation against floods be accelerated.
The visit by the Minister is an expression of governanment’s commitment to elevating integrated disaster management and the promotion of risk averse behaviour among communities in keeping with the ethos of a caring government. She advised that government through the Disaster Management Center, will assist to mobilise resources to rebuild and rehabilitate the damages to infrastructure.
Minister Nkadimeng conveyed her sincere condolences to all who lost their loved ones as a results of the recent heavy rains. She also thanked communities who provided assistance to those who were displaced by floods. “The selfless and compassionate actions by ordinary members of our communities and civil society organisations in support of humanitarian aid efforts including search and rescue as well as search and recovery symbolises the true meaning of a caring nation that South Africans is, we are immensely grateful to everyone for pulling together and showing Ubuntu”, said Minister Nkadimeng.
For media enquiries about CoGTA, kindly contact:
Mr. Legadima Leso
Cell: 066 479 9904
Mr. Tsekiso Machike
Cell: 078 237 3900
