Tell the KZN Provincial Disaster Management Centre, To Stop Turning Flood Zones Into Death Zones

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) is failing communities in high-risk flood areas. Since April 2022, floods have been intensifying with over 450 lives lost [1] and thousands of homes destroyed [2]. This all could have been avoided. PDMC, which is housed under Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), is supposed to, under the Disaster Management Act of 2002 [3], establish frameworks for disaster management and relief to ensure the prevention of the loss of life. 

The current framework is very weak and does not clearly outline what residents should do in the event of a flood; it also fails to address the assembly points in high flood zones and the communication strategy the municipality plans to use to to alert communities about a possible flood. 

The R861 million that was allocated to the eThekwini Municipality for disaster relief was returned to the national fiscus, citing poor project management and non-reporting as reasons [4]. Funding for projects, including one to implement live video and surveillance cameras to enable real-time monitoring and reporting of disaster-related incidents, have been cut [5], leaving residents in eThekwini Municipality in high flood zones at risk. 

We acknowledge that CoGTA in KZN has signed MOUs with NGOs and the private sector [6] toward disaster relief however, It does not specify evacuation or housing plans. We are looking for a more proactive approach. 

It is clear, should there be a flood tomorrow, PDMC in KwaZulu-Natal would not be ready, and hundreds of lives would be lost and severely disrupted. Areas such as eMlazi, eManzimtoti, Queensburg, Malvern, and Chatsworth were some of the badly affected areas in the 2022 floods.  

We want a report within 30 days that answers the above questions. Climate change is here to stay, and we will continue to feel its effects more intensely. That is why governments and municipalities need to be proactive in dealing with the effects of flooding and prevent unnecessary loss of lives.

Sources:

[1]  KZN Floods Emergency Response – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF South Africa), accessed 26 August 2025. URL: https://www.msf.org.za/kzn-floods-emergency-response

[2] Des Erasmus, 2022, Ramaphosa vows comprehensive KZN recovery effort, zero corruption tolerance. [Online] Daily Maverick. Available at: Ramaphosa vows comprehensive KZN recovery effort, zero corruption tolerance Ramaphosa promises a hard line on KZN emergency disaster relief corruption [Accessed 26 August 2025]. 

[3] Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002. (South Africa), Disaster Management Act [online]. Available at: South African Government website (gov.za). Available from: 

https://www.gov.za/documents/disaster-management-act [Accessed 27 August 2025].

[4] Dawood, Zainul. 2025. “Budget cuts delay critical disaster management initiatives in KwaZulu‑Natal.” IOL. https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/2025-08-05-budget-cuts-delay-critical-disaster-management-initiatives-in-kwazulu-natal/ IOL

[5]Dawood, Zainul. 2025. “Budget cuts delay critical disaster management initiatives in KwaZulu‑Natal.” IOL. https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/2025-08-05-budget-cuts-delay-critical-disaster-management-initiatives-in-kwazulu-natal/ IOL

[6]2025. “KZN MEC Buthelezi seals landmark disaster risk reduction partnership with private sector & NGOs.” KZN COGTA. March 4, 2025. https://www.kzncogta.gov.za/archives/8746