SALGA calls for overhaul of SA’s Disaster Management Framework

File: A man holds a sign as activists mark the start of Climate Week in New York during a demonstration calling for the U.S. government to take action on climate change and reject the use of fossil fuels in New York City, New York, US, September 17, 2023.

The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) has called for accelerated national action to modernise the country’s Disaster Management Framework.

SALGA says the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters have devastated communities and strained municipal resources.

The association has urged municipalities to play their part by activating the joint operating committees and issuing timeous communications to communities upon receiving the warning from the South African Weather Services.

SALGA Chairperson of Emergency Services and Disaster Management Working Group, Mluleki Nkosi, says, “Also, to strengthen municipalities against climate change-related disasters, SA must modernise disaster policies in line with Climate Change Act. We, as a country, also must secure sustainable funding for municipalities to be prepared and be resilient.”