From Reaction to Prevention: eThekwini Empowers Traditional Leaders as Frontline Disaster Responders

Disaster risk reduction is no longer the sole responsibility of government. That was the bold message from the eThekwini Municipality at a Traditional Leaders Disaster Management Workshop held at the Pinetown Civic Centre on Thursday.

The workshop aimed to equip traditional leaders with the strategies, tools, and knowledge needed to strengthen community resilienceensuring that no household is left behind as climate-related disasters become more frequent and destructive.

“We cannot afford to respond only after tragedy strikes,” said eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba, who led the engagement alongside Deputy Mayor Zandile Myeni and senior representatives from provincial departments and disaster agencies.

Why Traditional Leaders Matter

Rural communities remain the most vulnerable to floods, storms, fires, and other climate-related disasters. And traditional leaders are on the front lines.

“It requires fully empowered traditional leaders whose decisions on land allocation, early warning communication, and community mobilisation directly influence the safety and survival of communities living in high-risk rural areas,” Xaba said.

Disasters, he emphasised, are becoming both frequent and destructive, placing immense strain on the city’s infrastructure, economy, and residents’ daily lives. The shift from reaction to prevention is essential.

Blending Knowledge Systems

Throughout the session, disaster experts from the provincial government stressed the importance of blending indigenous knowledge systems with scientific disaster management practices.

Traditional leaders were encouraged to use environmental patterns, ancestral land wisdom, and community-based warning signs as early-alert triggersintegrating these with formal emergency protocols to create a stronger, more responsive safety network.

The Land Allocation Challenge

One of the most urgent concerns raised was unsafe land allocation, often resulting from limited planning knowledge. When land is allocated without risk assessment, communities are placed in harm’s waybuilding homes on floodplains or fire-prone areas.

The workshop offered practical land-use guidance, risk-mapping insights, and safer settlement strategies to prevent future disasters.

Inkosi Simingaye Mlaba, Chairperson of Traditional Leaders in eThekwini, said the session had better equipped traditional leaders to make informed land-use decisions, issue early warnings, and prepare communities before disasters strike.

“This workshop has not only strengthened our partnership with the municipality and other structures, but it has also helped us to build back better and empowered us with tools to safeguard our people,” he said.

A Week of Empowerment

The disaster management workshop was part of a broader week of capacity-building for traditional leaders in KwaZulu-Natal.

• 288 amakhosi were officially designated as Commissioners of Oaths, improving access to government services in rural areas. KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said the move would ease the load on police stations and reduce queues for services like certification of identity documents and academic qualifications.

• 47 amakhosi completed a year-long Leadership and Good Governance Programme offered by the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), gaining practical skills to strengthen governance and improve service delivery in their communities.

The Bigger Picture

The recognition of traditional leaders as essential partners in disaster management reflects a broader shift in thinking: that resilience cannot be built from the top down. It requires local knowledge, local authority, and local action.

In a world of intensifying climate shocks, the message from eThekwini is clear: prevention starts at the community level, and traditional leaders are the key to making it work.

{Source: IOL}

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