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UFS DiMTEC presents first-ever PhD Colloquium in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation

10 May 2024 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo supplied

Maureen Maisiri - Keynote Speaker PhD Candidate UFS — Delivering the keynote address at the first PhD Colloquium in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaption, Maureen Maisiri said that it is important to stop taking approaches that do not include people affected by disasters and climate change.

In the midst of South Africa's complex socioeconomic challenges, including poverty, food insecurity, and environmental degradation, a study tiled: Nature-based solutions practices: implications on farm performance, sustainable environment, poverty reduction and food security among South African households? explores the potential of nature-based solutions (NBS) to address these pressing issues. Focused on disaster risk management and climate change adaptation, this study examines the adoption of NBS and its impact on environmental sustainability, agricultural productivity, and community resilience. Collins Okolie aims to offer valuable insights for policy makers, farmers, and communities by investigating the viability of NBS as a strategy for mitigating disaster risk and managing climate change. His work emphasises the importance of raising awareness about NBS and its transformative potential in enhancing farm performance, food security, and poverty reduction.

This study was one of a number of studies discussed during the first three-day PhD Colloquium in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation hosted by the Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa (DiMTEC) at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Becoming a centre of excellence

According to Dr Olivia Kunguma, Lecturer in DiMTEC who acted as chair, the colloquium was inspired by DiMTEC’s vision to become a centre of excellence. It aimed to support PhD candidates and find solutions and recommendations for the increasing incidents and declared disasters in Africa. She added that the colloquium was also the centre’s way of contributing to the achievement of global targets, such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 priorities, the Paris Climate Change Agreement of 2015, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Among the more than 80 delegates who attended the colloquium were key stakeholders in disaster management, including representatives from the National Disaster Management Centre and the Gauteng Provincial Disaster Management Centre, in addition to the PhD candidates. The event also received support from UFS research structures, including the Directorate Research Development represented by its Director, Dr Glen Taylor, and the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, represented by the Dean, Prof Paul Oberholster. External stakeholders in attendance included Counsellor Lulama Titi-Odili, the Deputy Mayor of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, and Khotso Tsotsotso, the acting Head of the Old Mutual Foundation. The event was also sponsored by the Old Mutual Foundation, the Gauteng Provincial Disaster Management Centre, and the National Disaster Management Centre. “Having the Old Mutual Foundation as the primary sponsor is exciting for the disaster management fraternity, as it will see insurance companies take a growing interest in disaster risk management, resilience building, and climate change adaptation,” said Dr Kunguma.

Dr Kunguma pointed out the excitement and productive engagement between the audience and the PhD candidates as a particular highlight of the event. She emphasised the rigorous and scientific feedback received by the candidates, allowing them to reflect on their research motivation, perspectives, and future implications. The event provided an invaluable opportunity for PhD candidates to receive practical, social, and scientific feedback from both research experts and industry professionals. Dr Kunguma remarked, “The feedback and engagements have improved their work, and sharpened their presentation skills and confidence in their work and in themselves.”

Additionally, the initiative provoked praise from the Deputy Mayor, who underlined her role in advocating for increased funding for disaster management. Counsellor Titi-Odili stressed the importance of budgeting sufficiently for disasters. She acknowledged that disasters often originate at the local level and advocated for adjustments in the disaster declaration process. She also proposed the involvement of interns or graduates in government disaster management efforts.

Jurgens Dyssel from the National Disaster Management Centre also provided his input on the value of this initiative. He indicated that such a platform brings new knowledge that should be aligned with industry needs for translation into community impact. He suggested that the colloquium be aligned with the National Disaster Management Research Agenda, a repository for all research in disaster and climate studies.

Tshepo Motlhale, Chief Director of the Gauteng Provincial Disaster Management Centre, added that the colloquium is an innovative platform for diversifying all aspects of interventions and creating a space to enhance partnerships and collaborations to come up with solutions.

Blended systematic and sustainable solutions

Giving a voice to the PhD candidates was Maureen Maisiri, who was also appointed as the keynote speaker for this event. According to her, there is a need to create blended systematic and sustainable solutions and to stop taking approaches that do not include people affected by disasters and climate change. Maisiri encouraged fellow PhD candidates to work in teams, to appreciate diversity, and to be disciplined.

In the panel discussion on My PhD journey and contribution to Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation, the work of Daizy Nalwamba and Zukiswa Poto investigated critical aspects of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation. Nalwamba's study in Zambia explored the effectiveness of environmental education in promoting sustainable practices, revealing gaps between knowledge and practical application. Meanwhile, Poto's research in South Africa highlighted the need to prioritise economic resilience in disaster management legislation, advocating for proactive measures to support business continuity and community resilience.

News Archive

Judge Albie Sachs and Candice Mama discuss traumas of the past and forgiveness in the present

2015-08-05

Judge Albie Sachs embraces Candice Mama for her courage in confronting Eugene de Kock, who killed her father.

Two generations. Two stories of triumph. Two South Africans who have displayed immense courage.

Public Dialogue on Trauma, Memory, and Representations of the Past

Judge Albie Sachs and Candice Mama exchanged their experiences of past trauma and subsequent transformation in a public conversation. The event was co-hosted by Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela and The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) in Cape Town on Thursday 30 July 2015.

The event was the first instalment in a series entitled Public Dialogue on Trauma, Memory, and Representations of the Past. The theme of the discussion was ‘Intergenerational Dialogue on Trauma and Healing’.

"The aim of these public dialogue events we are co-hosting with IJR is to place the issues of trauma and memory, and the strategies that individuals and communities use to heal, in the public sphere," Prof Gobodo-Madikizela, Senior Research Professor in Trauma, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation Studies at the University of the Free State (UFS) said.

Judge Albie Sachs and Candice Mama in conversation

Former Constitutional Court Judge, Albie Sachs, talked about his participation in South Africa’s liberation struggle, the loss of his right arm in an assassination attempt, and meeting the man responsible – Henri van der Westhuizen. Despite years of exile and extended periods of solitary confinement, Judge Sachs maintains that “we need to acknowledge our history, not be trapped by it.” Judge Sachs also remarked, though, that “we’re seeing too much lamentation, not enough activation.” In a heartrending gesture, Judge Sachs embraced Candice Mama in a hug for her courage in confronting Eugene de Kock, who killed her father.

How poignant then, when Mama said, “I wanted to embrace the brokenness within him,” when she spoke about her meeting with De Kock. By the time I met with Eugene, I could meet him as a human being, not as a villain.” Mama believes that forgiving someone translates into an investment in the person you are forgiving and in your own sanity. She also emphasised the importance of dialogue to move our country forward: “When we share our stories with each other authentically, walls break down.”

This is a stance that Prof Gobodo-Madikizela supports strongly: “When we listen to one another, something unexpected emerges; we encounter the human in each other,” she said. “When we listen with open hearts to each other, we see and experience each other’s humanity.”

Building a bridge between research and society

Referring to the research aspect of the event, Prof Gobodo-Madikizela said that, "in establishing the series of public dialogue events, our vision is to create a bridge between scholarly research and the community at large, on the one hand, and a visual conscience of society, on the other." The UFS is collaborating with the IJR on this research project, which is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The endeavour is led by Prof Gobodo-Madikizela, who also serves as Board Member of the IJR.

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