Western Cape under Level 8 warning for heavy rain, flooding and severe weather till Tuesday.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane | Independent News
AS severe weather batters communities across South Africa, two powerful parliamentary chairpersons have issued a stark warning: Collaboration must move beyond words, and government response must become faster, sharper, and more human.
Nocks Seabi, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, and Mxolisi Kaunda, chairperson of the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements, and Water and Sanitation), this week called for greater collaboration and a more agile response from all sectors of government.
They emphasised that during this time of need, all spheres of government must intensify collaboration to ensure swift and decisive action to prevent loss of life and provide assistance where needed.
Kaunda welcomed the official classification of the recent weather events as a national disaster but warned against bureaucratic complacency.
“We welcome the classification of the recent weather events as a national disaster in terms of Section 23(1)(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002).
“However, this classification should not merely be a matter of regulatory compliance but an effective mechanism to unlock faster action and improved coordination,” Kaunda said.
Seabi turned attention to the Department of Human Settlements, urging it to use the current crisis as a test for the reviewed Emergency Housing Fund.
“The committee had previously raised concerns that the fund was not agile enough to respond to emerging realities. Centralisation and a lack of alignment between municipalities and national government resulted in delays caused by slow verification processes.
“We hope that the review will lead to a more responsive fund capable of assisting affected communities during this difficult period,” Seabi said.
Both leaders called on communities to heed government advisories to ensure their safety and the preservation of life.
They stressed the importance of a whole-of-government approach, urging sister departments such as the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Social Development and the Department of Health to make their services and programmes readily available to affected communities.
In the spirit of ubuntu, the chairpersons further called on businesses, non-governmental organisations and individuals who are able to contribute assistance of any kind to support those affected by the severe weather conditions.