The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) wants an increase in investment in disaster prevention and preparedness, to protect communities from the growing impact of climate change and other hazards.
The call was made during the second day of national commemoration of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), in Mpumalanga on Tuesday.
The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), in partnership with the Mpumalanga Provincial Government and various stakeholders, are part of the discussions.
Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, went to visit the newly completed Mpumalanga International Food Market and Tekwane South Bridge.
The market is located at the Mbombela City Centre within the Maputo Development Corridor.
Once operational, the corridor is expected to expand access to global markets for small-scale and subsistence farmers and improve access to competitively priced fresh produce for communities.
A panel moderated by Pumeza Tyali, Deputy Director of the NDMC, explored funding decisions to help reduce disaster losses before they occur.
It explored investment in preparedness, disaster risk in housing planning, and insurance for households, with contributions from NDMC, DCoG, Mpumalanga COGHSTA, and Santam.
The South African Red Cross Society (SARCS), together with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), also participated in the second and final day of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) 2026.
Picture: Supplied