MBOMBELA – Ehlanzeni District Municipality has established a disaster risk management advisory forum in terms of Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, to make provision for the integration and coordination of disaster management activities and to give effect to the principle of cooperative governance.
The disaster management advisory forum was formally established by the Executive Mayor of Ehlanzeni District Municipality in 2008, and currently it is chaired by the Portfolio Councillor responsible for Disaster Risk Management.
A review of the current stakeholder database is in process and nominations of new members be sectors departments are taking place.
The Executive Mayor, Cllr Letta Shongwe, will officially inaugurate new members at the next advisory forum meeting that sat on March 11, 2015.
It was clearly stated in the meeting that the advisory forum must comprise of all the relevant stakeholders and role players in disaster risk management in the municipality, including non-governmental and community-based organisations, individual or groups with special technical expertise, representatives of the local municipalities in the district and representatives of neighbouring district municipalities.
Scope of responsibilities of the Disaster Management Advisory Forum is to make recommendations to the municipal council concerning the disaster risk management policy framework for Ehlanzeni District Municipality, to ensure the application of the principle of co-operative governance for the purpose of disaster risk management in the municipality.
It must introduce actions to ensure inter-agency coordination and the application of joint standards of practise. It has to establish on integrated technical task teams for the development and implantation of policies, plans, programme and projects to reduce disaster risk and build resistance.
Shongwe said; “The forum must contribute to the generation of a disaster profile for the municipality; also contribute to the development and application of minimum criteria for conducting disaster risk assessments and for the ongoing monitoring of disaster risk.
“It should by means focused, integrated and holistic risk reduction strategies within the broader context of sustainable development, with the creation of resilient individuals, household and community who are alert and self resilient.
It will assist to ensure community awareness of disaster risk management arrangement.
“The forum will have to contribute to the establishment of an early warning system and promote the importance leading early warnings, and to participate in the development and maintenance of disaster risk management information management and communication systems,” she stated.
She further said it has to establish an integrated technical task teams for the development and maintenance of disaster contingency plans.
It will support and contribute to knowledge management programme in the municipality, and the field of disaster risk management in the municipality, and to advise any organ of state, statutory functionary, nongovernmental organisation, community or the private sector on any matter relating to disaster risk management.
Meetings of this forum will be held at least four times may determine whether the head of the centre convenes a full meeting of the advisory forum, only convenes a meeting of those members directly involved or affected by the business in hand.
During the meeting, stakeholders namely ESKOM, Social Crime Awareness, Fire Services, South African Weather Services, Progress report on the immediate relief grants allocation for 2015, Status of the sewerage treatment works in the district, flood Risk Management Partnership.
Memorandum of Understanding and Guidelines for Advisory Forum members.
A second session was held whereby Shongwe gave a keynote address and augurated the new members.
The Municipal Manager Adv HM Mbatha together with Mr J Jonberg signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Santam and Ehlanzeni District Municipality Cllrs, M. Chembeni-Sahi, SP Monareng and J Mavuso attended the meeting.
