Giant trade union Cosatu has called on the government to invest in climate resistant infrastructure as episodes of dangerous weather occur more frequently in the country.
Severe weather conditions and subsequent flooding in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro in the Eastern Cape this week, led to the death of one person while that province and KwaZulu-Natal experienced flooding caused by torrential rains last year, resulting in at least 10 deaths.
Matthew Parks, Cosatu’s Parliamentary coordinator said it believes it is reckless to continually be caught by surprise and unprepared each time there’s an inclement weather event.
“Reacting to each extreme weather episode as if it were a once-off occurrence points to a lack of foresight.”
“The adverse effects of climate change will not suddenly disappear, we must adapt to and mitigate its impact if we are to create a better life for all and protect the lives, possessions, jobs of workers and the nation’s economy and infrastructure.”
Parks said the union is particularly concerned that poor and working-class communities are the most vulnerable and worst affected.
“It is the low-income communities that lose their homes and belongings in floods because they live in informal settlements and floodplains. They are often left to pick up the pieces of their lives and start anew with very little assistance from government after they have been evacuated from their flooded homes. Sadly, because for them insurance is a luxury they cannot afford, they are often left poorer by these events.”
Parks said government must invest in climate resistant infrastructure appropriate for each of the diverse geographies the country boasts.
“The coastal areas appear more prone to flooding but this does not mean flooding does not occur inland. In the rural areas where low-income communities rely on subsistence agriculture for food security, government must formulate means to adapt to drought conditions to ensure the survival of these communities.
“Investment in a robust warning system is crucial given how motorists were stuck in the snow on the N3 a month ago, after they failed to heed warnings of extreme weather conditions.
“The warning system will have to be accompanied by an extensive educational campaign to ensure no room for misunderstanding is afforded,” Parks said.
The Mercury