Impact of severe weather events in South Africa declared a national state of disaster in terms of the National Disaster Management Act, 57 of 2002

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will brief the media on the declaration of a National State of Disaster, in terms of Section 27(1) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) due to the magnitude and severity of the damage caused by the severe weather events occurring in various municipal areas of the KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and other provinces that resulted in the loss of life and damage to property, infrastructure and the environment caused by heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, landslides etc

The declaration takes into account the need to augment existing measures undertaken by organs of state to deal with the national disaster and allowing the mobilisation of resources to support the various interventions.

All the state organs will strengthen support to existing structures to implement contingency arrangements and ensure that measures are put in place to enable the country to effectively deal with the effects of this disaster.

Source: Government of South Africa