Weather service to engage with Hammanskraal leaders over weather warnings

The SAWS officials will engage during two workshops aimed at equipping the community with crucial information that could help save lives, livelihoods and property from the effects of severe weather events. 

On Tuesday night, a number of shacks were damaged in the Kanana informal settlement near Hammanskraal during a severe storm.

Spokesperson for the Weather Service, Oupa Segalwe says South Africa is among the southern African countries that are susceptible to hazardous weather and negative climate change impacts. 

"These include severe floods, droughts, tropical cyclones, storms, and heat waves.

"In recent times, hundreds of households in areas surrounding Hammanskraal have had to contend with instances of heavy rainfall, leading to severe cases of flooding. Lephengville, Mandela, Suurman and Majaneng are some among the areas in question."

Segalwe says the engagements with  community leaders will help to ensure that the community is WeatherSMART. 

"A WeatherSMART community is one that is Safe, More informed, Alert, Resilient, and has Timely access to relevant weather information and services. The two engagements in Hammanskraal seek to give effect to this ideal of WeatherSMART communities.

"In the first event, a workshop to be held with community leaders on Thursday, ideas on how to effectively disseminate warnings of extreme weather events to residents who are at risk of being affected negatively will be brainstormed. A communication chain that can be used to ensure that weather warnings sent by the SAWS can easily reach households and be well understood will be developed.

"The second event, a community outreach programme to be addressed by the SAWS Chief Executive Officer,  Ishaam Abader, will see vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the differently abled and the youth being empowered with information on the different types of severe weather events and the precautionary measures that they can take in times of such events. "

He adds that the community members will also hear from representatives of Disaster Management Authorities and intermediary organisations such as Red Cross. 

"It is envisaged that this will improve the community’s resilience to severe weather events and its adaptation to the effects of climate change."

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