ETHEKWINI NEWSFLASH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RURAL SAFETY TAKES CENTRE STAGE AS TRADITIONAL LEADERS DRIVE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Inclusive participation of traditional leaders in disaster risk management took precedence at the Traditional Leaders Disaster Management Workshop held today, 19 February, at the Pinetown Civic Centre.
Traditional leaders from across eThekwini attended in large numbers, united by a shared commitment to protect rural communities who remain most vulnerable to floods, storms, fires and other climate-related disasters.
The workshop, hosted by eThekwini Municipality, aimed to capacitate leaders with the strategies, tools and disaster-readiness knowledge needed to strengthen community resilience and ensure that no household is left behind.
Led by eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba, Deputy Mayor Zandile Myeni and senior representatives from provincial departments and disaster agencies, the engagement highlighted that disaster risk reduction is no longer the responsibility of government alone.
It requires fully empowered traditional leaders whose decisions on land allocation, early warning communication and community mobilisation directly influence the safety and survival of communities living in high-risk rural areas.
This collective approach signals a renewed commitment to building a more resilient, better-prepared eThekwini.
Mayor Xaba emphasised that disasters are becoming more frequent and more destructive, placing immense strain on the City’s infrastructure, economy and the daily lives of residents.
“Every disaster leaves a negative impact on our infrastructure, our environment, and most painfully, on our people. Therefore, we cannot afford to respond only after tragedy strikes,” he said.
Mayor Xaba added that the aim of the workshop was to shift from being reaction to prevention.
“By equipping our traditional leaders with the right knowledge and practical tools, we are strengthening the frontline of community protection and ensuring that together, we develop strategies that will prevent disasters from devastating rural communities again,” said Mayor Xaba.
Throughout the session, disaster experts from the provincial government stressed the importance of blending indigenous knowledge systems with scientific disaster-management practices.
Traditional leaders were encouraged to use environmental patterns, ancestral land wisdom and community-based warning signs as early-alert triggers, integrating these with formal emergency protocols to create a stronger, more responsive safety network.
One of the urgent concerns raised was unsafe land allocation, often resulting from limited planning knowledge.
The Chairperson of Traditional Leaders in eThekwini, Inkosi Simingaye Mlaba, said the workshop has better equipped traditional leaders to make informed land-use decisions, issue early warnings and prepare communities before disasters strike.
“This workshop has not only strengthened our partnership with the Municipality and other structures, but it has also helped us to build back better and empowered us with tools to safeguard our people and contribute to a resilient, disaster-free eThekwini,” said Inkosi Mlaba.
The workshop offered traditional leaders practical land-use guidance, risk-mapping insights and safer settlement strategies to prevent future disasters.
ENDS
Issued by eThekwini Municipality’s Marketing and Communications Directorate
