A global review of disaster reduction initiatives - Welcome to the ...

Key policy proposals contained in the WhitePaper included:• Integration of risk reduction strategiesinto development initiatives.• Development of a strategy to reduce themost vulnerable communities.• Legal establishment of a National DisasterManagement Centre (authority).• Introduction of a new disaster managementfunding strategy.• Introduction and implementation of a newDisaster Management Act.• Establishment of a framework to enablecommunities to be informed, alert andself-reliant and be capable of supportingand cooperating with government in disasterreduction activities.• Establishment of a framework to coordinatetraining and community awarenessinitiatives.Meanwhile, in order to address South Africa’simmediate needs, an interim disaster managementauthority was composed with representativesfrom ten national departments. This waslater converted into a National Disaster ManagementCentre (NDMC). However, despite thefact that it has been operational since 1999, ithas yet to become a statutory institution. AnInter-Departmental Disaster Management Committee(IDMC) was also established in the sameyear to ensure better coordination among governmentdepartments at national level. This,however, was intended as an interim measureuntil such time when the planned statutorystructures contained in a Disaster ManagementBill could become functional under a newDisaster Management Act.Following the issuance of the White Paper, thefirst Disaster Management Bill was publishedfor public comment in 2000. However, the initialenthusiasm and momentum shown by thegovernment seemed to decline with numerouspostponements of the tabling of the bill. Afteranother severe crisis – this time, the devastatingfloods in parts of Southern Africa in 2000– political priorities changed as the importanceof disaster management policy and legislationresurfaced. The National Council of Provincescalled for a disaster management conference inMay 2000 to consider disaster managementand reduction on a regional basis. After thisconference, encouraged by funding from abilateral disaster assistance agency, the SouthPolicy and public commitment: the foundation of disaster risk reductionAfrican legislative process regained momentumand the bill was finally tabled for debate,with approval anticipated during the latter partof 2002.During its lengthy review, the Disaster ManagementBill has moved away somewhat fromthe earlier policy emphasis envisioned in theGreen and White Papers and instead hasfocussed more attention on inter-governmentalstructures and related operational frameworks.The bill provides guidance with respect to thelegal establishment of the NDMC, the dutiesand powers of national, provincial and localinstruments of government and funding forpost-disaster recovery and rehabilitation. Therationale behind the robustness of the bill is toensure that clear and unambiguous guidelinescan be given through regulations once the legislationis promulgated. The bill also providesfor an Inter-governmental Committee on DisasterManagement to consist of cabinet membersinvolved in disaster management, members ofthe Executive Councils from the nineprovinces of the country and representatives oflocal government. A further structure proposedin the bill is the National Disaster ManagementFramework, which will outline coherent,transparent and inclusive policies on allaspects of disaster management includingtraining and capacity building.Expected to become law during 2002, the Billcalls for the establishment of disaster managementcentres at all levels of government, andalso establishes procedures for the collection anddissemination of risk assessment data and information.One of the explicit functions of the centreswill be the assessment of disaster risks, withthe requirement that each one also serve as arepository and conduit for information relatingto all aspects of disasters, impending disastersand disaster management. The overall thrust isone that can develop a national disaster managementframework that would reflect a balancedconsideration of the different kinds of disasters,and the varying severity or magnitudes thatoccur in southern Africa. Emphasis has alsobeen given to measures that could reduce thevulnerability of disaster-prone areas, communitiesand households. The anticipated DisasterManagement Act is expected to open up newavenues for greater commitment to be made byprovincial and local government authorities toundertake risk assessment activities.973