Is KZN prepared for future major disasters?

Tuesday afternoon’s earthquake of a magnitude of 5.3 on the richter scale, that hit in Orkney outside Jo’burg, was the second biggest earthquake to have hit SA since the Ceres earthquake of 1969, measuring 6.3 on the richter scale.  The Ceres earthquake was the most destructive earthquake in SA’s history.

There have been a few other earthquakes over the past year but none as strong as on Tuesday. These smaller quakes measured 4.8 and 4.9 on the richter scale with tremors only felt in and around Jo’burg.

On Tuesday families in North West suffered the most damage to their homes and a 31-year-old man died when a wall collapsed on him.

According to AngloGold Ashanti, 17 employees at its Vaal River operation were injured, but no one was seriously injured.

Many people may be questioning whether our national government and local municipalities are equipped and prepared to respond fully to any major disasters in the future as well as after shocks from the recent quake.

The Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) have not been operational for over three years  and is solely dependent on the resources and ability of municipalities and national government to co-ordinate search, rescue and relief responses.

The MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs,  Nomusa Dube-Ncube placed all disaster management centres located throughout the province’s municipal districts  on high alert following the earth tremor experienced in Gauteng region and felt as far afield as the eThekwini Metro.

“We have activated all our systems and resources. Our disaster management facilities are monitoring the situation closely and we are ready to intervene in any part of KZN with speed should it become necessary,” said KZN MEC for COGTA Nomusa Dube-Ncube.

The eThekwini disaster management centre has registered the tremor but KZN COGTA maintains that no damages as a result of it have been reported thus far.
“We would like to reassure the citizens of KZN that we have activated all our systems and are working with the national disaster management centre to ascertain any damages and the extent of the incident. We will respond to any findings swiftly,” said Dube-Ncube.

KZN COGTA has also urged calm and pledged to keep the public informed of any further developments resulting from the tremor and its potential consequences for the lives of citizens and the public and private infrastructure in the province.

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