THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACT

1. THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACT “A PRACTICAL CASE STUDY OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS IN ACTION IN DISTRICT MUNICIPALITIES IN KWAZULU-NATAL” Wednesday 11 November 2004 ASALGP 3RD ANNUAL SEMINAR

2. uMzinyathi District Municipality uMzinyathi uMasipala Wesifunda TODAY’S PRESENTATION: • Presented by Ms Pauline Peel, ASALGP advisor • Dr BV Thabethe (Municipal Manager, Umkhanyakude District and; • Mr Otto B Kunene • Municipal Manager Umzinyathi

3. PURPOSE OF TODAY’S PRESENTATION • To briefly share the ASALGP disaster management project in Umkhanyakude and Umzinyathi District Municipalities • To outline the relationship with good intergovernmental relations, service delivery and women • To highlight some lessons learned from the program • Way forward

4. THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT PROJECT IN KWAZULU-NATAL GOAL: To establish institutional arrangements in the province and municipalities to support the implementation of the DM act Working in collaboration with Provincial government and Umzinyathi and Umkhanyakude Districts Municipalities

5. PROJECT THEME “YOU CAN’T CHANGE THE WIND BUT YOU MUST ADJUST THE SAILS TO STEER THE SHIP TOWARDS THE DESIRED END”

6. SETTING THE CONTEXT - SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU! • WHAT DO WE MEAN BY INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS? • WHAT MIGHT BE THE BARRIERS TO GOOD INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS? • WHAT IS BASIC SERVICE DELIVERY? • WHAT IS THE ROLE OF WOMEN?

7. INTERGOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND SERVICE DELIVERY • INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS • Integrated/seamless service delivery for the people • REQUIRES • Clarity of roles and responsibilities but flexible and cooperative approaches • Willingness and openness to cooperate and share information

8. IGR AND SERVICE DELIVERY CONTD • Skills, knowledge and understanding • Solution based approach • Political buy in and champions • IN THE END IT’S ABOUT SERVING THE PEOPLE! • BASIC SERVICE DELIVERY • All citizens with access to basic services eg fresh water, sanitation, electricity

9. THE SOUTH AFRICAN DISASTER MANAGEMENT LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT • DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACT 2002 - ENACTED National and Provincial – April 2004 and Municipalities – July 2004 • PROVIDES FOR “AN INTEGRATED AND CO-ORDINATED DISASTER MANAGEMENT POLICY”

10. WHAT IS DISASTER MANAGEMENT? • YOUR THOUGHTS?

11. WHAT IS DISASTER MANAGEMENT UNDER THE ACT? • PREVENTION AND RISK REDUCTION (new emphasis) • MITIGATION OF IMPACT (new) • EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS • RAPID AND EFFECTIVE RESPONSE • POST DISASTER RECOVERY

12. PRINCIPLES OF DELIVERING THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACT • Inter-government cooperation – National, Provincial and Local • Change of emphasis from reactive to proactive • Involvement of all stakeholders including community; • Part of day to day business; • Integrated and coordinated and linked to planning and development;

13. ISSUES IDENTIFIED ACROSS MUNICIPALITIES IN KZN • Lack of clarity about role of District and Local eg locals believe Act gives District all responsibility • Lack of understanding about role of Disaster Management – still seen as reactive only • Lack of understanding of the strategic link with IDP’s and service delivery • Some Disaster Managers isolated from strategic planning within municipalities

14. ISSUES IDENTIFIED • Concern about addressing the distinctive features of District Municipalities eg remote communities • Concern about lack of resources particularly of new municipalities • Lack of understanding of role of community • Need for flexibility and cooperative governance approach

15. UMKHANYAKUDE DISTRICT SNAPSHOT • North-eastern KZN/borders with Mozambique and Swaziland – covers 12818 kilometres • Comprises 5 Local Municipalities • Significant environmental and tourism features • High rates of poverty – 12% labour force employed • Provision of basic services such as water, sanitation a priority

16. UMKHANYAKUDE CONTD • DM hazards – serious flood, tornado, storm, fire, drought, epidemic • Previous experience with ASALGP eg women in economic development (Gosia Hill – 2003) – helping to make a difference • Vision • To meet the basic needs and improve the quality of life of all residents in the region

17. uMzinyathi District Municipality uMzinyathi uMasipala Wesifunda UMZINYATHI DISTRICT • Located in northern KwaZulu-Natal – main towns are Dundee and Greytown • Comprises 4 local municipalities – 8079km • Significant historic sites eg battlefields • Large number of tribal authorities • Disaster Management hazards – Tornado, snow, fire, drought

18. UMZINYATHI DISTRICT SNAPSHOT • Priorities include provision of basic infrastructure, diversification of economy, poverty alleviation, HIV/AIDS • VISION • Umzinyathi District Municipality shall be a self sustainable organisation that promotes integrated development

19. UMZINYATHI AND UMKHANYAKUDE DM BUILDING BLOCKS IN PLACE • Strong leadership • Disaster Managers appointed • Cooperative arrangements with local municipalities to delivery of fire services – both signed up to Rural Metro • Umzinyathi District in partnership with Endumeni Local Municipality has established the DM Centre • Demonstrated openness to learning

20. LEARNINGS • Cannot work on its own and in isolation (Umkhanyakude) • Need to build knowledge and understanding about roles and responsibilities of local, district and provincial • Achievement of shared vision will be through cooperation and flexibility of all coalitions and networks • Interventions must be about problem solving

21. LEARNINGS • Fragmentation of resources, activities and initiatives weaken concerted action • Cannot have effective disaster prevention without involving the vulnerable communities so that program bears fruit • Multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach to DM has to be included in IDP to assist with focusing developmental projects

22. LEARNINGS Contd • Women are central to development – why? They are closest to the needs of their households • Must link projects such as disaster management with human rights and constitutional values • Need to raise profile of DM with political and traditional leadership to gain their support

23. HOW DID WE ADDRESS ISSUES IN UMKHANYAKUDE & UMZINYATHI? • ROLES OF PROVINCE, DISTRICT AND LOCAL • Developed matrix of responsibilities • DevelopedProvincial policy guideline • Community involvement • Highlighted through workshop scenarios ie specific questions asked • Importance of traditional leaders discussed • Role of women discussed

24. HOW DID WE ADDRESS THE ISSUES? • PREVENTION AND MITIGATION • Capacity building through workshop scenarios eg cholera, fire, drought to show links • One to one discussions with IDP managers and DM’s • Work done on provincial IDP sector guidelines to show provincial leadership

25. HOW DID WE ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND LEARNINGS? • CAPACITY BUILDING AND SKILLS TRANSFER • Pilot project task team established – collaborative and skills transfer approach taken particularly with Disaster Managers and senior managers • Adviser and team members visited and briefed all local municipalities • Capacity building workshops held with the diversity of role players in each District

26. So what’s the link with IGR and Basic Service Delivery • Disaster Management reliant on good intergovernmental and cross governmental relations and cooperative arrangements • DM and IGR reliant on shared knowledge, understanding and capacity • Proactive Disaster Management = basic service delivery and poverty alleviation • Women and community involvement critical to achieving disaster management goals

27. WHAT NEXT? • Municipal handbook to guide establishment of disaster management arrangements being produced • Capacity building and engaging community to continue – materials available from project • Disaster management advisory forums being launched in early Dec – will help create ownership of DM • Districts and locals will build into IDP

28. THANK YOU • CONTACTS • Pauline Peel email –pauline@asalgp.co.za - Phone – either 033 355 6257 Cell 0724408994 • Dr B V Thabethe –bthabeth@umkhanyakude.org.za, Phone 035 573 1536 • Mr Otto B Kunene –rc3@umzinyathi.gov.za, Phone 034 218 1945 • ANY QUESTIONS?

29. The end www.asalgp.co.za