ANC calls for rethink of govt's disaster management policy
The party's commission on local government said the recent natural disasters in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and other areas necessitated a rethink of how the government approached disasters.
Heavy rain led to flooding in Johannesburg CBD. Photo: X/@Crime_SpotterSA (screenshot)
JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) called for a revision of the country's disaster management policy, with a view to reprioritising the budget towards mitigation rather than rescue.
Over the past two days, the ruling party held a national lekgotla that would inform their election manifesto.
The party's commission on local government said the recent natural disasters in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and other areas necessitated a rethink of how the government approached disasters.
The ANC's Parks Tau explained: "It shouldn't always be that you have a disaster and you respond there. It is about how we anticipate and mitigate possible disasters even before they happen and where we work with communities to be able to take action where we know there will be a flood and we need to evacuate people on time - those are the measures that are now being introduced."