Page 21 - EngineerIT January 2022

CONSULTING: DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT

there be a flooding event, will lie with the emergency services. project being planned – not only to
“Disasters frequently demand more from government agencies than their direct reduce the existing disaster risks but also
mandate suggests,” he said. “The DFFE has a clear mandate to protect the environment, for to minimise the creation of new risks.
instance, but when the Covid-19 hard lockdown led to the closure of the county’s national This makes it vital to apply the law’s
parks, many households around these parks needed emergency assistance. They were requirement for government departments
stripped of their primary source of income through tourism-related activities, and this led to develop early warning mechanisms
to the DFFE having to support these communities by providing food parcels and monetary and procedures for risks identified in their
support.” functional areas – and to regularly review
He highlighted that disaster risk involves various factors and can often be most and update these plans.
effectively addressed by reducing vulnerability and improving capacity or resilience – a role “This would allow a positive shift
which includes the responsibilities of a number of departments and sectors other than the of focus towards removing the root
department dealing directly with the hazard. causes of communities’ vulnerability to
“This also means that better communication is needed among the different stakeholders, hazards,” said Stols. “Increased resilience
through participation in disaster management forums already established,” he said. – which would include better housing,
infrastructure, basic services and access to
Institutional basis resources – would reduce the dependency
Progress can only be made when DRR is mainstreamed into the operations of government, on government intervention and other
he urged. This requires – first and foremost – that DRR is well grounded, or institutionalised, external assistance.”
within each department or agency. In practical terms, this means having the required Such a mainstreaming process would
policies and interventions in place, as well as organisational structures and cultures in be in line with the United Nations Office
support of DRR within each development intervention. for Disaster Risk Reduction’s Sendai
Stols noted that disaster management planning was already required by law, but that Framework for 2015-2030, the Africa
there were high levels of non-compliance. South Africa’s Disaster Management Act of 2015 Strategy of Disaster Risk Reduction
demands that each national organ of state must conduct a disaster risk assessment for Programme of Action, and the SADC
its functional area, map these threats, and prepare a disaster management plan (DMP). Regional Resilience Framework 2020-2030.
Many national departments, however, have not submitted DMPs to the National Disaster The Sendai Framework emphasises
Management Centre (NDMC), as the law requires. four basic priorities for action:
This presents a significant challenge to the national DRR effort, as the NDMC is mandated understanding risk; strengthening disaster
to make these plans available to provincial and municipal disaster management centres. risk governance to manage disaster
The law also mandates the departments to coordinate and align their DMPs with other risk; investing in DRR; and enhanced
stakeholders, and to invest in DRR. Without full compliance at national level, the roll-out of resilience for disaster preparedness and
disaster management to other levels of government inevitably becomes compromised. effective response, to ‘build back better’
An important element of what the Disaster Management Act requires from departments during recovery, rehabilitation, and
is that DRR must also consider climate change adaptation, including ecosystem and reconstruction. Implementing these four
community-based adaptation approaches. In the country’s currently depressed economic priorities will ensure institutionalisation of
situation, this has special relevance. DRR in any organisation.
“Covid-19 has been a wake-up call,
Community vulnerability demonstrating the wide-ranging and
“Our high rates of unemployment – further exacerbated by Covid-19 restrictions – mean devastating effects of a disaster that we
that communities are increasingly vulnerable,” he said. “This makes disasters far more were not well prepared for,” he said. “By
devastating, both in terms of their immediate impact as well as their long-term effects on complying more fully with our own law
livelihoods and quality of life.” and implementing the existing global
Mainstreaming DRR into the development planning process is very important for and regional guidelines, we could take
sustainability, and essentially means looking critically at each programme, activity and important steps in the right direction.” n

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