By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Kwazulu-Natal (KZN) premier Thamsanqa Ntuli outlined the province’s strategy to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis and strengthen its resilience to environmental challenges.
Ntuli addressed the media on Thursday on his return from the Climate Week NYC event in New York, which ended over the weekend.
At Climate Week, Ntuli said his delegation gave a presentation on the devastating floods of April and May 2022, which were the most catastrophic in the history of the province.
They also touched on a tornado that dismantled homes of communities in Tongaat in June and was followed by veld fires that raged across various parts of the province and killed a number of people.
Two weekends ago, more than 1 200 motorists and scores of commuters were stranded on the N3 highway after heavy snowfall blocked the road for over 35 hours.
Ntuli said this was unprecedented and needed some trend analysis to determine if it should be included on the list of the KZN hazards, but that it was definitely an extreme weather phenomenon to be reckoned with.
“We can no longer behave as if everything is normal. Even scientists have warned us that our seasons will be wetter and hotter. We may have a long drought and rains in the wrong season and this may lead to a long-term catastrophe. That is unless we act, and we act now.”
“We must make sure that vulnerable communities in townships and rural areas are not left behind but play a major role in shaping a future that is resilient to the harsh realities and conditions of an ever-changing environment and climate, “said the premier.
Ntuli said the province does not have early warning systems to deal with climate challenges. He said that the provincial government will look into the acquisition of weather predictive technology.
“Our response to the reality of climate change is based on just transition: balancing climate adaptation and mitigation with job creation and balanced socio-economic development. Our province is committed to a clean energy mix that will reduce greenhouse emissions and strengthen energy security for citizens in both rural and urban areas.”
He said the seventh administration was embarking on a sustained multi-sectoral approach in addressing the issues related to climate change. He said President Cyril Ramaphosa recently signed into law the Climate Change Act 22 of 2024, which is a major step for the country to unite in its effort to counteract the negative impact of climate disruption.
He warned of the dangers of informal settlements in flood-prone areas and urged communities to avoid living in hazardous zones.
“We cannot live in floodplains and dry riverbeds, as this will lead to disastrous consequences in the future,” he said.
The premier further called for all spheres of government to adequately budget for disaster management, adding that climate change preparedness must be prioritised in financial planning.
To bolster the province’s climate response, Ntuli announced the formation of the KwaZulu-Natal Climate Change and Sustainability Council.
Set to be launched within the next four weeks, this council will serve as a platform for broad stakeholder engagement.
Ntuli explained that the council would include representatives from provincial and local government, traditional leaders, civil society organisations, businesses, academia, and media.