Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning:

1. The Department of Local Government's: Western Cape Provincial Disaster Management Centre (WC: PDMC) has a coordinating function where multiple provincial and municipal-stakeholder efforts are focused on reducing, preparing and responding to disaster incidents in the province, including floods. The various stakeholder, therefore, funds these efforts within their respective programmes.

To mitigate the impacts of risks, the Department of Local Government (DLG) conducts an annual hazard awareness campaign, creating awareness amongst school learners about floods, fires, water scarcity and other risks. Since its inception in 2010, the annual awareness campaign roadshow in the form of an industrial theatre has been targeting Grade 1-7 learners across the province. In the past five financial years, the Department spent approximately R1.85 million on hazard awareness campaigns. A breakdown is as follows:

• 2018/2019: Reaching 35 354 learners in 80 primary schools in the entire Central Karoo District and two municipalities of the Overberg District amounting to R1 011 866, of which the procurement of educational materials increased the amount.
• 2019/2020:  33942 Learners at 61 Cape Winelands District primary schools, including a pilot of High School Debate Competitions in Central Karoo District amounting to R834 150.
• 2020/2021, 2021/2022: the campaign was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic regulations. However, the Department's educational materials were distributed to municipalities on a request basis.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, an area-based awareness campaign (social media, radio, posters, etc.) was undertaken, which targeted high-risk communities identified for their high flood risk. These communities included Driftsands, Du Noon, Witzenberg Municipality, and part of the Garden Route District Municipality. This collectively amounted to R336 000.
• 2022/2023:  A multi-stakeholder awareness campaign was conducted at Hawston Primary School.
• From 2015-2022, an amount of R2 632 652 71 was spent on fire alarm installations in informal settlements. Due to the impacts of load shedding, vulnerable communities resort to alternative energy solutions, such as gas and open fires during the winter season, which poses an additional fire risk in informal settlements. The fire alarm serves as an early warning to ensure the safety of these communities.

District and Local municipalities are supported by providing awareness materials, including a flood safety pamphlet. and Local municipalities are supported by providing awareness materials, including a pamphlet addressing flood safety.

(2)  The Department proactively coordinates winter readiness planning inputs from all municipalities and provincial stakeholders into the Provincial Winter Readiness Plan. The Provincial Winter readiness planning includes risk reduction, preparedness and response interventions to ensure that the province is in a state of readiness for high and medium risks. Specific initiatives and measures that are included are:

• Every quarter, good stakeholder relations and multi-stakeholder disaster management advisory forum meetings are held to address the risk monitoring of dam levels, namely weather forecasts, etc.
• The WC: PDMC is represented on the National Joint Floods Coordinating Committee (NJFCC). The Department of Local Government is represented on the City of Cape Town's Flood and Storms Task Team, which addresses mitigation, risk reduction, preparedness and response initiatives. This task team convenes bi-weekly. 
• The Early warning systems are in place, including the dissemination of the South African Weather Services (SAWS) Impact Based Severe Warning System. The weather warnings are consulted with disaster management, considering the impact on the communities, which determines the warning level for a proactive response by role-players to ensure the safety of communities.
• To mitigate the impacts of risks, the Department of Local Government (DLG) conducts an annual hazard awareness campaign, creating awareness amongst school learners about floods, fires, water scarcity and other risks.
• The WC: PDMC has developed a Decision Support Tool, which is a Geographic Information System (GIS) tool containing a flood index which can be used to identify high-risk communities susceptible to flooding. This can aid decision makers to take informed decisions during flood response.
• The Provincial Drowning Prevention Strategy was developed by the Department, which informs interventions based on credible research. We fund the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and Lifesaving Western Cape to support drowning prevention activities. The NSRI has been an invaluable resource in flooding rescue operations.
• Various plans have been developed, such as the Department of Water and Sanitation's Provincial Flood Contingency Plan and the Western Cape Preparedness, Response and Relief Plan.
• The WC: PDMC is on standby throughout the year to coordinate and respond to disaster incidents such as flooding, and the Centre can be activated for a 24/7 operation.

(3) All municipalities proactively submit their winter readiness plans which outline the interventions and response capabilities such as:

• Provision of sandbags/milling;
• Clearing of rivers/bridges/drains/ponds/canals/culverts;
• Advising informal settlement residents to dig trenches around dwellings to divert rainwater;
• Rehabilitation of access roads at vulnerable informal settlements;
• Health and hygiene promotion around stagnant rainwater;
• Ensuring that an acceptable level of cleanliness is maintained;
• Ablution facilities within the low-lying informal settlements areas are identified for placement on high grounds;
• Trimming of trees;
• Awareness raising of low-lying informal settlements on flood risk;
• Vital and essential public education and awareness;
• Municipal services are always on standby to be activated in the event of a severe incident associated with adverse weather conditions;
• Distribution of early warnings; &
• Identification of resources to respond to flooding.

(4)  None. All municipalities submit their winter readiness plans.

(5)  The Provincial Winter Preparedness Plan is drafted with inputs from the local municipalities and other organs of the state. Local municipalities drive preparedness activities with the local communities through community engagements and awareness programmes outlined in their Winter Preparedness planning.

In addition, the Provincial Disaster Management Advisory and Steering Committee forum meets quarterly. It aims to create a platform for muti-sectoral integration amongst local, provincial, and national governments and other role players towards disaster risk reduction, preparedness, response and recovery. Annually (before the winter season), the WC: PDMC shares the integrated Provincial Winter Readiness Preparedness Plan with the forum to inform their preparedness planning. As standing items, the South African Weather Services (SAWS) also provides a forecast of the winter weather outlook, and the National Department of Water and Sanitation provides the dam levels status in the province. This further enables role-players to enhance their preparedness planning.