The Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 (as amended) is the primary legislation governing the implementation of the disaster management function and coordination of response to disasters. The Act provides for the development of an integrated and coordinated disaster management policy that focuses on preventing or reducing the risk of disasters, mitigating the risk of disasters, mitigating the severity of disasters, emergency preparedness, rapid and effective response to disaster and post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation. Furthermore, the Act provides for the establishment and functioning of national, provincial and municipal disaster management centre, disaster management volunteers and matters incidental to. The Act is supplemented by the National Disaster Management Framework (NDMF) which guides the implementation of the Act.

In line with the provisions of the Act, the Gert Sibande District Disaster Management Centre has been involved in coordinating the district disaster management advisory forum, the district coronavirus command centre, supporting the district coronavirus command council, conducting awareness campaigns, monitoring the functioning of local municipal disaster management centres and coordinating resources for disaster relief during disaster incidents.

PUBLIC AWARENESS, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SAFETY

The GSDM Disaster Management Centre in partnership with other internal municipal departments/sections, Local Municipalities Disaster Management Centres, government/sector departments and agencies, State Owned Entities (SOEs) and private sector organizations set out to support government programmes jointly by conducting awareness campaigns at various communities throughout the district. The purpose is to educate and alert vulnerable communities about prevailing hazards and the risks/dangers associated with such hazards. Furthermore, communities are capacitated with relevant knowledge and basic skills such as emergency evacuation procedures, basic structural firefighting, basic veld fighting, basic water purification procedures and environmental care programmes which they can be utilised during incidents and/or emergencies to minimise harm, injuries and/or loss of life, damage to properties and destruction and/or preservation of the environment prior or before professional or advance emergency assistance and/or interventions are initiated. There are also awareness campaigns which are undertaken. These include fire safety, water pollution prevention, environmental care and biodiversity programmes such as cleaning and greening.

The GSDM Disaster Management Unit distributes relief material to all the local municipalities to ensure a state of readiness and quick response in support to communities when the need arises. Such relief materials include blankets, tarpaulins, sponges and cooking stoves. Furthermore, the district and local municipalities disaster management centres are enhancing partnership and collaboration with sector departments and agencies such as the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), Depts. of Home Affairs, Social Development, Human Settlements, Agriculture, Education etc, in all the local municipalities to enable resources sharing and support to each other for the benefit of the communities during and after disastrous incidents.

The district municipality transferred firefighting and rescue vehicles to the seven local municipalities permanently. The vehicles were procured by the Gert Sibande District Municipality as support to the local municipalities and includes seven firefighting trucks and two fully equipped response (rescue) vehicles.

DISASTER INCIDENTS OCCURRED AND COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

A number of local municipalities in the district are affected by various storm and flood incidents. Damages suffered include damages to roads, bridges, residential houses, businesses and office infrastructure, crops and livestock and loss of lives. The district together with local municipalities, the provincial and national government stakeholders provide support in a form of food parcels, blankets and temporary shelters. Assessments were conducted to quantify the damages and subsequent interventions were made as guided by the provincial and national disaster management centre guidelines.