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Disaster management system ânon-existentâ after tropical storm in eDumbe municipality
By Thobeka Ngema
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Durban â The DAâs co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) spokesperson, Chris Pappas, has appealed to Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka and the portfolio committee to reconsider spending priorities in a bid to bolster, modernise and support disaster management in the province, particularly at a local level.
The appeal came after an oversight visit of the eDumbe Local Municipality, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, to assess damage caused by tropical storm Eloise, which revealed that the disaster management system was basically non-existent in the area.
Damages caused by tropical storm Eloise in the eDumbe Local Municipality in January this year. | SUPPLIED
Chris Pappas
An oversight inspection has revealed that disaster management systems at the eDumbe municipality in KwaZulu-Natal are in a poor state.
Among the issues raised are a lack of staff, poor infrastructure and a shortage of equipment.
The provincial Cogta department is also struggling with funding for disaster management.
The eDumbe municipality in KwaZulu-Natal has come under the spotlight after its disaster management centre was found to be in a dilapidated state.
The DA conducted an oversight inspection and found that the disaster management system in the area was virtually non-existent . The DA is concerned about the state of readiness of the eDumbe municipality to respond to disasters. We do not believe that either this local municipality or the Zululand District Municipality meet the requirements of the Disaster Management Act, DA MPL Chris Pappas said.