'Prevent, mitigate and stay prepared!' - Director-General of the Department of Provincial and Local Government Ms Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela

The Director-General of the Department of Provincial and Local Government (the dplg) Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela has confirmed at the Disaster Management Indaba that humanitarian support is currently being provided through the relevant disaster management structures as well as the Department of Social Development to the people affected by recent rains and flooding in the Western Cape.

Msengana-Ndlela told the Indaba that it is becoming urgent that government and its partners get themselves prepared to prevent and respond to disasters in support of communities, especially the poor. The Indaba was held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand in early July 2008, and was attended by mayors, speakers, councillors, municipal managers, members of parliament, members of the National House of Traditional Leaders, community based organisations and disaster management practitioners from across the country.

The Indaba seeks to create a culture of risk-avoidance behavior through public awareness programmes, general life skills training within and beyond the education sector, and effective and transparent communication.

Disaster management is a vital task of local government, not only in protecting the communities in most need of protection, but in providing training and support to help these communities to better manage their situation to avoid, as much as is possible, disaster striking.

For more information on the Disaster Management Indaba visit the dplg website.

The Director-General's full address at the Indaba is available online.