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17 April 2026
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National Disaster Management Strategic Indaba held in Gauteng
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The National Disaster Management Strategic Indaba, convened under the theme “Strengthening Disaster Management Functions Across the Country”, was held in Gauteng on 14 and 15 April 2026.
The Indaba underscored the urgent need to enhance South Africa’s ability to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. Critical focus areas included strengthening early warning systems, improving emergency response planning, advancing climate‑resilient infrastructure, and promoting community preparedness and resilience.
The high‑level, transformational engagement was attended by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa; the Premier of Gauteng, Mr Panyaza Lesufi; Deputy Ministers Dr Namane Masemola and Reverend Prince Burns‑Ncamashe and Members of the Executive Council (MECs), including Mr Basikopo Makamu (Limpopo), Mr Speed Mashilo (Mpumalanga) and Mr Oageng Molapisi (North West).
Minister Hlabisa described the gathering as a critical opportunity to reshape South Africa’s disaster management system into one that is proactive, integrated, and effective. “Our task today is very clear. We need to move decisively from fragmented, reactive responses toward a coherent, prevention-focused, and risk-informed disaster management system. Our country faces significant and intensifying disaster risks, including floods, droughts, wildfires, severe storms and tornadoes. These risks are driven by climate change, rapid urbanisation, environmental degradation and socio-economic inequality,” the Minister said.
Minister Hlabisa noted that while South Africa has a solid legislative framework, including the Disaster Management Act of 2002 and the National Disaster Management Framework, “legislation alone cannot guarantee success.”
“The effectiveness of these frameworks hinges on strong leadership, effective coordination, diligent enforcement and comprehensive implementation,” he said.
Against the backdrop of South Africa’s increasing vulnerability to droughts, floods, extreme weather events and other natural and human‑induced disasters, the Indaba provided a timely and strategic platform for robust, inclusive and coordinated engagement on disaster risk management.
The Strategic Indaba brought together a broad range of stakeholders to collectively shape a strengthened, integrated national approach to disaster management. Participants included executive leadership, disaster management experts and practitioners, representatives from all spheres of government, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector.
The Indaba forms part of government’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the country’s disaster management system and enhancing preparedness and response capabilities in the face of escalating climate‑related and human‑induced risks.
Deliberations focused on strengthening institutional capacity, coordination, compliance and accountability in disaster risk governance, while advancing prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery capabilities across national, provincial and municipal spheres of government.
Key areas of engagement included:
– The state of disaster management in South Africa
– Disaster response capability and capacity
– Implementation of disaster response and recovery measures
– Disaster management support programmes for municipalities and
– Commitments towards institutional reforms, strategic partnerships and improved governance arrangements.
The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) emphasised the urgent need for a whole‑of‑government and whole‑of‑society approach to support municipalities in responding to escalating environmental and disaster‑related challenges. Through its Local Government Support Initiative, SALGA called for coordinated intergovernmental action, streamlined support mechanisms, data‑driven decision‑making, and strengthened municipal capacity, in line with the constitutional mandate to support and strengthen local government.
National Treasury reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening fiscal governance and sustainable financing in local government, with a particular focus on improved oversight of disaster‑related and infrastructure funding, climate‑resilient investments, and the professionalisation of municipal financial management to ensure the efficient, transparent, and accountable use of public resources.
The Indaba culminated in tangible outcomes, including strengthened partnerships, shared accountability frameworks and a clear roadmap to enhance the effectiveness, sustainability and impact of disaster management functions across the country.
In his closing remarks, Deputy Minister Reverend Prince Burns‑Ncamashe emphasised that the Indaba represented a decisive step towards strengthening South Africa’s disaster risk governance. He called on all stakeholders to translate commitments into sustained and coordinated action, underscoring the importance of strengthened institutional capability, enhanced accountability and decisive leadership—particularly at local government level, where the impact of disasters is most acutely felt. He concluded by urging a unified, whole‑of‑society approach to protecting lives, livelihoods and development gains through resilient and responsive disaster management systems.
Source: Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Quotes of the week
“A leader’s role is to raise people’s aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there.” ~ David Gergen
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Read the latest Disaster Management Journal: https://www.frimedia.org/dmj-vol-7-no-1.html
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Lee Raath-Brownie
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Cell: 082 371 0190
Contact us
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The Indaba underscored the urgent need to enhance South Africa’s ability to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. Critical focus areas included strengthening early warning systems, improving emergency response planning, advancing climate‑resilient infrastructure, and promoting community preparedness and resilience.
The high‑level, transformational engagement was attended by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa; the Premier of Gauteng, Mr Panyaza Lesufi; Deputy Ministers Dr Namane Masemola and Reverend Prince Burns‑Ncamashe and Members of the Executive Council (MECs), including Mr Basikopo Makamu (Limpopo), Mr Speed Mashilo (Mpumalanga) and Mr Oageng Molapisi (North West).
Minister Hlabisa described the gathering as a critical opportunity to reshape South Africa’s disaster management system into one that is proactive, integrated, and effective. “Our task today is very clear. We need to move decisively from fragmented, reactive responses toward a coherent, prevention-focused, and risk-informed disaster management system. Our country faces significant and intensifying disaster risks, including floods, droughts, wildfires, severe storms and tornadoes. These risks are driven by climate change, rapid urbanisation, environmental degradation and socio-economic inequality,” the Minister said.
Minister Hlabisa noted that while South Africa has a solid legislative framework, including the Disaster Management Act of 2002 and the National Disaster Management Framework, “legislation alone cannot guarantee success.”
“The effectiveness of these frameworks hinges on strong leadership, effective coordination, diligent enforcement and comprehensive implementation,” he said.
Against the backdrop of South Africa’s increasing vulnerability to droughts, floods, extreme weather events and other natural and human‑induced disasters, the Indaba provided a timely and strategic platform for robust, inclusive and coordinated engagement on disaster risk management.
The Strategic Indaba brought together a broad range of stakeholders to collectively shape a strengthened, integrated national approach to disaster management. Participants included executive leadership, disaster management experts and practitioners, representatives from all spheres of government, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector.
The Indaba forms part of government’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the country’s disaster management system and enhancing preparedness and response capabilities in the face of escalating climate‑related and human‑induced risks.
Deliberations focused on strengthening institutional capacity, coordination, compliance and accountability in disaster risk governance, while advancing prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery capabilities across national, provincial and municipal spheres of government.
Key areas of engagement included:
– The state of disaster management in South Africa
– Disaster response capability and capacity
– Implementation of disaster response and recovery measures
– Disaster management support programmes for municipalities and
– Commitments towards institutional reforms, strategic partnerships and improved governance arrangements.
The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) emphasised the urgent need for a whole‑of‑government and whole‑of‑society approach to support municipalities in responding to escalating environmental and disaster‑related challenges. Through its Local Government Support Initiative, SALGA called for coordinated intergovernmental action, streamlined support mechanisms, data‑driven decision‑making, and strengthened municipal capacity, in line with the constitutional mandate to support and strengthen local government.
National Treasury reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening fiscal governance and sustainable financing in local government, with a particular focus on improved oversight of disaster‑related and infrastructure funding, climate‑resilient investments, and the professionalisation of municipal financial management to ensure the efficient, transparent, and accountable use of public resources.
The Indaba culminated in tangible outcomes, including strengthened partnerships, shared accountability frameworks and a clear roadmap to enhance the effectiveness, sustainability and impact of disaster management functions across the country.
In his closing remarks, Deputy Minister Reverend Prince Burns‑Ncamashe emphasised that the Indaba represented a decisive step towards strengthening South Africa’s disaster risk governance. He called on all stakeholders to translate commitments into sustained and coordinated action, underscoring the importance of strengthened institutional capability, enhanced accountability and decisive leadership—particularly at local government level, where the impact of disasters is most acutely felt. He concluded by urging a unified, whole‑of‑society approach to protecting lives, livelihoods and development gains through resilient and responsive disaster management systems.
Source: Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Quotes of the week
“A leader’s role is to raise people’s aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there.” ~ David Gergen
Fire and Rescue International is your magazine.
Read it, use it and share it!
Read the latest FRI magazine: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-vol-8-no-4.html
Read the latest Disaster Management Journal: https://www.frimedia.org/dmj-vol-7-no-1.html
FRI magazine archive: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-archives.html
DMJ magazine archive: https://www.frimedia.org/dmj-magazine.html
Enjoy the read!
Lee Raath-Brownie
Managing director
Cell: 082 371 0190
Contact us
Tel: 011 452 3135 or Email: [email protected]
Websites
www.fireandrescue.co
www.frimedia.org
www.facebook.com/FireandRescueInternational
www.twitter.com/FRI_magazine
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-raath-brownie-16668065/
