Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
How is the Department ensuring that municipalities address the needs of black and coloured communities during the winter season, especially in areas where inadequate road infrastructure, blocked drainage systems and inadequate housing continue to impede basic service delivery and compromise human dignity?
The Department of Local Government, through the Western Cape Provincial Disaster Management Centre, plays a central coordinating role to ensure that municipalities prioritise and address the specific needs of vulnerable communities, during the winter season.
For the 2025 winter season, our planning process began as early as February. We required all municipalities to develop winter-readiness plans that identify the most vulnerable areas and outline specific interventions to mitigate the impacts of severe weather. These plans are submitted to the Provincial Disaster Management Centre and consolidated before being forwarded to the National Disaster Management Centre to ensure alignment and support at all levels of government.
At the municipal level, targeted measures include clearing and maintaining stormwater infrastructure, such as drains, culverts, canals, rivers, and ponds, to reduce the risk of flooding in informal settlements and low-lying areas.
Additionally, municipalities distribute sandbags and milling and advise residents on practical measures such as digging trenches around their homes to divert rainwater. Tree trimming is conducted to mitigate risks from strong winds, which can cause power outages and physical damage to properties and infrastructure. In coastal regions, the controlled opening of estuaries is carefully managed to alleviate flooding risks inland.
On the provincial side, we coordinate the dissemination of impact-based severe weather warnings, as provided by the South African Weather Service, to municipalities and directly to communities via multiple communication platforms including social media, radio, and ward committees. These warnings come with clear preparedness messaging tailored to high-risk communities to increase awareness and readiness.
The Department also supports ongoing public education campaigns and community resilience training programmes. These initiatives focus on isolated and high-risk communities, equipping residents with basic knowledge and skills to respond effectively to floods and fires in the critical period before emergency services arrive.
Furthermore, in partnership with the Department of Social Development and the humanitarian relief cluster, we facilitate the distribution of essential relief items, including emergency shelter, food parcels, blankets, and hygiene kits, in communities severely affected by winter-related incidents. Collaboration with NGOs and volunteer organisations such as Gift of the Givers, Search and Rescue South Africa (SARZA), and local faith-based groups ensures swift and coordinated humanitarian responses.
Specialised flood and swift-water rescue capacity has been enhanced through partnerships with organisations such as the National Sea Rescue Institute and Lifesaving Western Cape. We have also allocated dedicated funding to districts like the Garden Route to bolster rapid response capability in flood-prone areas.
In summary, the Department’s coordinated approach integrates early warning systems, infrastructure maintenance, community engagement, humanitarian relief, and continuous monitoring to safeguard the lives and dignity of vulnerable communities affected by winter weather challenges.
