The Department of Human Settlements has announced that an inter-ministerial committee, chaired by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, is on standby to respond to weather-related disasters across South Africa.
The committee meets every two weeks to identify potential disasters and plan mitigation efforts. This comes as the country continues to recover from several severe weather events. KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, the Free State, and Gauteng have been the hardest hit in recent years.
Three years after the devastating 2022 floods, KwaZulu-Natal has still not fully recovered. Recent floods in the Eastern Cape have caused an estimated R5 billion in damage, requiring significant funds for recovery. Wildfires have also destroyed farms, livestock, and claimed lives.
The Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane, stated that these disasters include floods, fires, and devastation to agricultural crops. She also noted that the South African Weather Service has been equipped with improved early warning systems to help prepare for future events.