Disaster Management
CORPORATE SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Staff
The Head of Disaster Management
Mr Wonderboy Dlamini is the Head of Disaster Management
Staff Structure
Departmental Functions
In compliance with the Disaster Management Act No. 57 of 2002, the Disaster Management Plans are an integral part of the Integrated Development Plan. This step is consistent with the pre-eminence of prevention, which is mandated by the new Disaster Management Act. The preventive approach to disaster management is important because it makes the strategic difference between developmental failure and success.
With the establishment of the Zululand District Municipality Disaster Management Advisory Forum on the 26 August 2003, this section has never looked back. Various workshops in Disaster Management Act and related Acts have been held including the Disaster Management Indaba where issues were discussed in a more informal setting.
The official launch of the Disaster Management Advisory Forum is priority number one during the year of 2006. The relocation of the Console from Eshowe to Ulundi is in progress, and the establishment of our centre is under way.
As part of an awareness campaign, this section with the approval of its Portfolio Committee has written a short play called "Isehlakalo noma Inhlekelele" meaning "Is it an Incident or a Disaster". The play is still in its developmental phase and it is hoped that it will be showcased within the district as soon as possible.
As one of the statutory requirements is that the District Councils should comply mainly with, Chapter 5 of the Disaster Management Act, Act 57 of 2002, and the Zululand District Municipality has excelled in most of the requirements, if not all, and the following events serve as an example.
Achievements:
- The Disaster Management held its first Municipal Management Advisory Forum meeting in August 2003 barely six months after the publication of a Disaster Management Act in the Government Gazette No 24252.
- The finalization of the Sector Plans to deal with conditions such as Fire, Drought, Tropical Cyclone / Severe Thunderstorm, Floods and Radio Communications.
- The introduction of a stage play called "Isehlakalo noma Inhlekelele" as part of a Disaster awareness campaign aimed at helping both councillors and the community to differentiate between an incident and disaster.
- The then head of the Provincial Disaster Management Centre requested that our sector should be used as a role model by other District Municipalities.
- Last year this section assisted in the burial of 24 lightning victims from Mhlahlane, Dlebe, Ceza and Babanango and also with building material to those who had their rooftops blown away. Tents and blankets were also given out to people.
- This section also acquired the services of two Disaster Management Utility vehicles located at Ulundi and uPhongolo local municipalities. These vehicles are a result of a partnership between the Department of Traditional Affairs & Local Government with other stakeholders. Their purpose is to provide the community when required with drinking water, transport disaster management relief equipment to affected communities, and be utilized in fire fighting.
OUR DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN ACTION
