A FOCUS group was hosted by the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) for a dialogue on climate change impacts in Umgababa, featuring residents from the area, as well as Umkomaas and Hluthankungu, on September 27.

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The engagement followed a similar one held a few days earlier in Durban, and it centred around raising awareness of climate change, its impact, and the steps to take to combat it.

In a statement, SDCEA said what stood out in Umgababa, as was the case in Durban, was that the represented communities were not only aware of climate change, but they are ready to act against it.

“In one community, they already have structures in place to help with the preparedness and response to disasters. From the very start, participants were already shaping discussions on solutions, collaboration, and how to strengthen engagement with municipalities. This reinforces a key lesson, which is that communities hold knowledge, commitment, and the will to drive climate action,” it said.

SDCEA added that its role is to listen, connect, and create platforms where its voices can influence decision-making. It expressed gratitude for the energy and openness of everyone who attended the event.

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