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#GlobalChangeConference: Is South Africa well prepared for natural disasters?

10 February 2023 | Story Edzani Nephalela | Photo FVH Productions

Prof F Engelbrecht — Professor Francois Engelbrecht, a Climatology professor and Director of the Global Change Institute at Wits University, believes South Africans should have more effective systems and strategies in place to prepare for natural disasters caused by climate change impacts.

South Africa must establish reliable early-warning systems and strengthen disaster management facilities to be better prepared for natural disasters on the scale of the April 2022 Durban floods. This was the advice of one of the participants at the fifth National Global Change Conference (GCC5) hosted by the University of the Free State (UFS) from 30 January to 2 February 2023.

The GCC5 saw experts from across South Africa come together at the UFS’s Bloemfontein Campus to discuss the impacts of climate change on communities and devise strategies to mitigate its effects. The conference is organised every two years by the Department of Science and Innovation and the National Research Foundation.

The severe 2022 Durban floods were a prominent discussion topic, as they highlighted the urgency of climate change and its effects in South Africa and stirred debate on the need for proactive measures to prevent similar disasters in the future. The heavy rainfall from 11 to 13 April 2022 caused rivers to overflow in low-lying flood areas. The downpours quickly overwhelmed the city’s infrastructure, leaving thousands without housing, electricity, and other essentials. The national government declared a state of emergency and deployed rescue teams to assist those affected by the floods.

Prof Francois Engelbrecht, a Climatology Professor and Director of the Global Change Institute at Wits University, told delegates that better preparation for disasters like these should have been in place. “What occurred in KwaZulu-Natal should not have taken us by surprise, as it resembles [the KwaZulu-Natal floods of] September 1987, when over 50 000 people were displaced, and at least 500 lost their lives. To avoid a similar outcome in the future, we must establish effective community-based warning systems and implement an effective disaster-management plan.”

Charlotte McBride, Assistant Manager at the South African Weather Service, said, “A cut-off low in the upper reaches of the troposphere was moving seawards off the eastern coast of South Africa. Cut-off lows are associated with widespread instability in the atmosphere, which can promote periods of prolonged rainfall.”

McBride also emphasised the importance of developing effective coping strategies in light of these events and forecasts, including the implementation of systems that empower traditional leaders and ward committees by using early-warning systems.

News Archive

Qwaqwa campus upgrade begins

2005-06-23

Academic facilities, including lecture halls and the library, on the Qwaqwa campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) will be upgraded to the tune of R1,4-million.

An extra R100 000,00 has also been made available for the upgrading of four staff houses on campus.

The tender for this project was awarded to a local business in the Qwaqwa region, Mguni Enterprises. This phase is expected to be completed next month - July 2005.

This is the second phase of upgrading of the Qwaqwa campus, following the earlier upgrading of student residences to the tune of R6,2-million.

“The total capital injection to improve the infrastructure on the campus is R7,7 -million. The aim of the upgrading is to improve the infrastructure of the campus in order to provide an atmosphere conducive to learning, “said Prof Peter Mbati, Qwaqawa Campus Head.

The first phase of the upgrading - amounting to R6,2 million - comprised of the upgrading of the five student residences and mainly dealt with the maintenance backlog. Residences were painted, old furniture replaced, electricity rewired and the necessary alterations made to ensure sufficient hot water supply as well as a new look to the face of the residences.

According to Prof Mbati the student visiting areas, reception areas and rooms were also improved by the changes in the first phase. The renovated residences now also boast facilities such as kitchenettes, washing machines and tumble driers and computers rooms.

There are currently 754 students staying in the residences. Three residences accommodate female students and the other two are for male students. Students who are not accommodated on campus stay at the former Tshiya College of Education, approximately 5 kilometers from the campus. These students are bussed in to the campus on a daily basis.

“All these developments are a major step forward for the Qwaqwa campus as it once again shows our commitment to the campus to make it an attractive site of higher education in the Eastern Free State,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

Media release

Issued by:  Lacea Loader
   Media Representative
   Tel: (051) 401-2584
   Cell: 083 645 2454
   E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za

23 June 2005

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