Several KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) projects, including the integration of video systems, were put on hold because of budget constraints. 

The PDMC, in collaboration with the eThekwini Municipality and South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL), is aiming to implement live video and surveillance cameras to enable real-time monitoring and reporting of disaster-related incidents. 

This initiative is not a standalone project, but rather it will be integrated with the Command and Control Collaborator (CMORE) software communication system as part of a broader information management and communication system.

These setbacks were detailed when the KZN Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Portfolio Committee was briefed on PDMC matters on Friday. 

These PDMC setbacks could be implemented in the 2026/27 and the 2027/28 financial years, including the acquisition of rescue equipment (e.g., snow chains) and specialised disaster response training. 

In response to ongoing fiscal constraints, CoGTA was instructed by the Provincial Treasury to implement cost-cutting measures. Despite these constraints, a R2 million allocation has been made for the 2025/26 financial year to support the maintenance of integrated communication systems. This includes maintenance of boardroom audio-visual equipment and support for CMORE.

The meeting also gave progress on the current status of post-disaster management grants funded by the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), including utilisation, challenges, and impact on recovery and resilience efforts in affected communities.

The NDMC made R4.1 billion in grant funding available in the form of disaster response and recovery grants to the affected municipalities between 2019 and 2025. 

Dr Joey Krishnan, acting HOD of CoGTA, said that KZN did not have sufficient resources to manage disasters in the province, so they have engaged in many Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with various social partners. 

Krishnan said the social partners assist CoGTA with various types of support, relief material, food, blankets, as well as specialised training, and they come to the front when there are disasters.

She said the collaboration was aimed at enhancing disaster management operations across the province. 

She said that the cooperation agreements signed on February 20, 2025, have significantly strengthened the KZN PDMC’s capacity across all phases of disaster management. 

Marlaine Nair, CoGTA Portfolio Committee chairperson, said that the MoU between SANRAL, the South African Weather Services, and eThekwini to put cameras at strategic points so that the provincial DMC could monitor disasters and provide early warnings was not signed because it requires a significant budget that is not available.

In addition, she said, the CMORE system that the department has piloted requires municipalities to purchase their smartphones, software, and data to be able to use. 

“Currently, municipalities are budgeting the least amount for disaster management because of competing priorities. The Department of CoGTA must find an additional budget to be able to do much more in the province in terms of preparation for disaster preparedness and prevention,” she said. 

Tim Brauteseth, DA MPL, was concerned that after the April 2022 floods, an amount was allocated to eThekwini for expenditure on restoring infrastructure, but only a small amount of it had been spent to improve things. 

In response to Brauteseth, Krishnan said R861 million that was allocated to the eThekwini metro was returned to the national fiscus.

“We are aware of it and we have engaged eThekwini to provide details and reports in that regard. We have not received a detailed report in that sense, but in any event, they will have to make further applications now to the National Treasury, and we have indicated that we will support any application they make,” she said. 

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

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