Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002)Chapter 2 : Intergovernmental structures and Policy framework7. Contents of national disaster management framework |
| (1) | The national disaster management framework must provide a coherent, transparent and inclusive policy on disaster management appropriate for the Republic as a whole. |
| (2) | The national disaster management framework must reflect a proportionate emphasis on disasters of different kinds, severity and magnitude that occur or may occur in southern Africa, place emphasis on measures that reduce the vulnerability of disaster-prone areas, communities and households, and must— |
| (a) | guide the development and implementation of disaster management envisaged by this Act; |
| (b) | establish prevention and mitigation as the core principles of disaster management; |
| (c) | facilitate— |
| (i) | South Africa's co-operation in international disaster management; |
| (ii) | regional co-operation in disaster management in southern Africa; and |
| (iii) | the establishment of joint standards of practice; |
| (d) | give effect to the application of co-operative governance on issues concerning disasters and disaster management among the spheres of government and— |
| (i) | determine the relationship between the sphere of government exercising primary responsibility for the co-ordination and management of a disaster in terms of sections 26(1), 40(1) and 54(1) or (2) and the spheres of government performing supportive roles; |
| (ii) | allocate specific responsibilities in this regard to the different spheres |
| (e) | guide the development and implementation of disaster management within national, provincial and municipal organs of state on a cross-functional and multi-disciplinary basis and allocate responsibilities in this regard to different organs of state; |
| (f) | facilitate— |
| (i) | the involvement of the private sector, non-governmental organisations, traditional leaders, technical experts and volunteers in disaster management; |
| (ii) | community participation in disaster management; and |
| (iii) | partnerships for purposes of subparagraphs (i) and (ii) between organs of state and the private sector, non-governmental organisations and communities; |
| (g) | facilitate disaster management capacity building, training and education including in schools, and provide incentives for such capacity building training and education; |
| (h) | promote disaster management research; |
| (i) | guide the development of a comprehensive information management system; |
| (j) | take into account indigenous knowledge relating to disaster management; |
| (k) | provide a framework within which organs of state may fund disaster management with specific emphasis on preventing or reducing the risk of disasters, including grants to contribute to post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation and payment to victims of disasters and their dependants; |
| (l) | address the requirements for co-operation and co-ordination between the different spheres of government, the private sector, non-governmental organisations and communities; and |
| (m) | provide key performance indicators in respect of the various aspects of disaster management. |