Western Cape calls for urgent reform in emergency housing funding

Source: Pexels

Recent disaster-related delays have highlighted the need to decentralise funds to provincial and local authorities for faster, more effective responses, he said.

Being closer to the affected communities, this would enable them to manage and disburse these funds directly, which would facilitate more immediate and tailored responses to emergency housing needs during disasters​.

Disbursement delays impact

Provincial local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning spokesperson, Wouter Kriel, said that the province was facing a huge humanitarian challenge.

In Cape Town, over 33,000 households have been affected across the metropole in both formal and informal settings following the floods, affecting some 95,000 people.

In a media statement released last week, Kubayi confirmed that the current centralised system's slow disbursement is hampering urgent aid.

He stressed the Western Cape's severe weather of late has underscored the necessity for a more efficient emergency funding system. He said delays in the centralised system during the 2023/24 financial year have significantly hindered government efforts, compromising the ability to protect and assist affected and displaced communities effectively.

"Provincial and local governments must have emergency housing funds devolved to them to allow for greater flexibility and speed in responding to disasters. Direct access to emergency funds will ensure a swifter and more targeted response to residents' needs," Kubayi said.

Leading disaster response

The Western Cape is prepared to lead this necessary reform. “Decentralising emergency funding is not merely a bureaucratic step; it’s essential for responding to disasters with the urgency and precision our communities deserve.

"The Western Cape has the capacity, expertise, and commitment to manage emergency funds responsibly and effectively. National government must collaborate with willing provincial governments to safeguard our residents,” Kubayi said.

Earlier this week, the National Disaster Risk Management Centre declared the Western Cape a disaster zone - a move welcomed by Western Cape Premier Alan Winde.

The declaration primarily allows for the mobilisation of resources from various levels of government, enabling a more co-ordinated and comprehensive response to the humanitarian challenges posed by the disaster. This includes accessing national resources, additional funding, and support for relief and recovery efforts​.

“I urge national authorities to expedite this process. We desperately need additional resources to sustain our disaster-management operations. Assessments still need to be finalised and from our side, as the Western Cape Government and our stakeholders in the province, we are working flat out to complete this process,” Winde said.

Enhancing emergency aid

However, while the disaster declaration helps in mobilising broader resources, decentralisation of emergency housing funds, as proposed by Provincial Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, would specifically allow for the transfer of control over these funds from the national government to provincial and local authorities thereby improving the efficiency of specific funding mechanisms related to emergency housing.

"Under the current system, it takes up to a month before communities receive relief, whereas provincial and municipal responses take 24 to 48 hours," Kubayi said.

“The time it takes for emergency funds to be disbursed from the national government can mean the difference between life and death."

Legislative hurdles

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, concurred saying that the challenges faced in disaster management are primarily due to deficiencies in regulatory legislation, which are not designed to adapt to the ever-changing risk environment.

“The systemic and structural design of our disaster management delivery, as guided by current laws, results in issues with timing and bureaucracy. Key elements of the disaster-management function were assigned to municipalities through legislation, but without funding.”

He said this has created a contradiction between the Disaster Management Act and the Municipal Systems Act (MSA) which requires sufficient funding and capacity for assigned functions.

“Consequently, municipalities lack the necessary funding and capacity,” he said.

Proposed overhaul

Hlabisa confirmed a new system for disaster management and fire services is being proposed - one that involves reorganising administrative structures and financing models "to more effectively address increasing disaster risks".

While he did not elaborate on specific implementation plans, he noted the approach is informed by best practices observed in countries like New Zealand, Russia, Brazil, Mozambique, California, and Australia. Key elements of the new model include prioritising risk reduction, integrating disaster management into government planning at all levels, ensuring sufficient funding, and placing a strong emphasis on building resilience within communities.

He said the department this year also signed a Memorandum of Collaboration with the Department of Defence that will see the Community Work Programme (CWP) participants playing a role in disaster preparedness and community development.

“We recognise that the challenges we face in disaster management are largely because South Africa has experienced not only an increase in the number of disasters - such as droughts, floods, Covid-19, and severe weather – but also an increase in their magnitude, severity, and impact," Hlabisa said.

“These events have occurred either simultaneously or in rapid succession, straining our resources and systems. South Africa is at an increased risk of natural disasters and needs a new system to manage these challenges more effectively."