Citation

Ngcamu B. Town Reg. Plann. 2022; 81: 53-66.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, University of the Free State)

DOI

10.18820/2415-0495/trp81i1.5

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article sought to review the literature on the effectiveness of the disaster preparedness plans in two provinces that were struck by climate-induced disasters in South Africa in 2022. Making use of a qualitative desktop study, the effects of urbanisation and infrastructure development on the deadly disasters of April 2022 were examined, using thematic analyses. The review reveals a complex combination of the causes of disaster in both KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, which included unplanned urbanisation; ineffective warning systems; inadequate infrastructure, and houses being built on floodplains, in wetland, and in coastal areas. The lack of climate knowledge among government officials and communities prone to climate-induced disasters was considered to have led to the severe devastating effects of the April 2022 disasters. These challenges were compounded by the failure of municipal officials to harness learnings from the rich indigenous knowledge systems of the vulnerable groups and to reverse impacts of the disasters. The article summarises the causes, challenges, impacts, and solutions that can be considered to plan for disaster preparedness.

Palabras clave : Climate change; climate literacy; disasters; disaster preparedness; early warnings; preparedness plans; urban planning; unplanned urbanisation.

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Hierdie artikel het gepoog om literatuur oor die doeltreffendheid van die rampgereedheidsplanne in twee provinsies wat in 2022 deur klimaatgeïnduseerde rampe in Suid-Afrika getref is, te hersien. Deur gebruik te maak van 'n kwalitatiewe lessenaarstudie is die uitwerking van verstedeliking en infrastruktuurontwikkeling op die dodelike rampe van April 2022 deur tematiese ontledings ondersoek. Die oorsig toon 'n komplekse kombinasie van die oorsake van rampe in beide KwaZulu-Natal en die Oos-Kaap, wat onbeplande verstedeliking ingesluit het; ondoeltreffende waarskuwingstelsels; onvoldoende infrastruktuur, en huise wat op vloedvlaktes en in vleilande en kusgebiede gebou word. Die gebrek aan klimaatskennis onder regeringsamptenare en gemeenskappe wat geneig is tot klimaatgeïnduseerde rampe, is beskou as die faktore wat gelei het tot die ernstige verwoestende gevolge van die April 2022-rampe. Hierdie uitdagings is vererger deur die versuim van munisipale amptenare om kennis uit die ryk inheemse kennisstelsels van die kwesbare groepe te benut en om die impak van die rampe om te keer. Die artikel som die oorsake, uitdagings, impakte en oplossings op wat oorweeg kan word om vir rampgereedheid te beplan.

Language: en