If disaster strikes, God help Joburg - the metro can't

If disaster strikes, God help Joburg - the metro can't

It is scandalous that South Africa's economic hub, Johannesburg, is not fully prepared to deal with a major disaster if one should strike the city because it doesn't have the money to mount an adequate response.

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It is scandalous that South Africa's economic hub, Johannesburg, is not fully prepared to deal with a major disaster if one should strike the city because it doesn't have the money to mount an adequate response.

The city is reportedly in violation of national legislation that requires it to have money set aside for coping with a disaster.

With a budget of R43.8-billion for this financial year, and a population estimated at 4.435million, the city said it currently had little more than R500 000 in its "separate account" for disaster relief.

That means that if we were to face a natural disaster today the people of Johannesburg would get scant help from the metro and would have to fend for themselves.

Though South Africa is lucky compared to many other countries when it comes to natural disasters, that does not mean we are safe.

It is important not only that the city has the funds to deal with disasters, but that it prepares its institutions for the worst.

It was disheartening to hear city officials say that we should not worry.

We are told that the City of Johannesburg is not prone to disasters.

How can we not worry when we are told that only R500 000 is in the emergency disaster fund should disaster hit us?

All the larger local authorities should be in a position to deal with a disaster and Johannesburg's should be a leading voice.

The R500 000 currently in Joburg's kitty is just a drop in the ocean and would be pitifully inadequate if the devastation caused by a natural disaster were widespread.

We should look to countries such as the US, where every year they deal with large-scale disasters. Their preparedness has helped them prevent the deaths of thousands .

The financial incompetence that Joburg has so often displayed cannot be allowed to extend to disaster management.

-The Times editorial

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