Challenges to disaster risk reduction: A study of stakeholders’ perspectives in Imizamo Yethu, South Africa

Ann-Sofie Roth,Per Becker

doi:10.4102/jamba.v3i2.41

Abstract

South Africa is a complex and dynamic society, with overwhelming and increasing problems with disaster risk in the vulnerable urban communities in and around its rapidly growing metropolitan centres. The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of the challenges for disaster risk reduction in such communities. It focuses on the case of Imizamo Yethu, in the Western Cape, in order to build theory that is grounded in the empirical realities of stakeholders involved in disaster risk reduction there. The result points towards five interrelated key challenges, which must be concurrently addressed through large-scale development efforts. Without such investments, it is unlikely that disaster risks can be reduced to tolerable levels.

Highlights

South Africa is a dynamic developing country in a challenging transition
The economic purchasing power per person increased more than 173 percent in the first 15 years after Apartheid (World Bank, 2010), while the Human Development Index (HDI) is more or less unchanged since (UNDP, 2011)
The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of the challenges for disaster risk reduction, within vulnerable South African urban communities, in relation to reoccurring rapid and slow onset disasters, as well as everyday emergencies

Summary

Introduction

The economic purchasing power per person increased more than 173 percent in the first 15 years after Apartheid (World Bank, 2010), while the Human Development Index (HDI) is more or less unchanged since (UNDP, 2011). South Africa is one of a few countries in the world that has not experienced human development in this period (Khandlhela & May, 2006), but this indicates an overall deterioration in the non-economic indicators of HDI. To the mounting impact of HIV/AIDS on life expectancy, this deterioration is mainly caused by policies making a minor part of the population increasingly rich, while the majority becomes increasingly poor This inequality has obvious roots in Apartheid, but it is important to note that it has been growing ever since. It is in this context that South Africa is struggling to protect life and health, property, infrastructure and the environment from disasters

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion