Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa leads commemoration of International Day for Disaster Reduction in Polokwane, 10 to 11 Oct

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, will lead the commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) in Polokwane on 11 October 2024. The day is observed annually on 13 October as a global event aimed at promoting a culture of risk awareness and disaster reduction.

Each year, the IDDR focuses on a specific theme related to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). These themes are aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (SFDRR), which is a global blueprint for reducing disaster risks and losses.

The theme for the 2024 IDDR is: "The Role of Education in Protecting and Empowering Youth for a Disaster-Free Future". This highlights the transformative power of education in building resilient societies. This theme further underscores the pivotal role of education in preparing younger generations to face and mitigate the impacts of natural and man-made disasters.

The commemoration comes at a time when South Africa like many countries is experiencing unprecedented myriad of hazards and disasters such as, drought, floods, storms, lightning strikes, extreme heat, veld fires, cold spell, snow, tremors, etc. This, therefore, not only calls for effective DRR mechanisms but also early warnings, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts.

The IDDR is a crucial event that underscores the need for proactive and collaborative efforts in reducing disaster risks. By fostering a culture of prevention and preparedness, IDDR helps build safer and more resilient communities worldwide.

Furthermore, because this is an all of government and society responsibility, Minister Hlabisa will be joined by other Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MECs, Traditional Leaders, Mayors, Councillors, Business, Practitioners and Civil Society Organisations to optimise the promotion of an informed, alert, and self-reliant society capable of playing its part in all aspects of disaster risk and vulnerability reduction.

Members of the media are invited to cover the IDDR commemoration as follows:

DAY 1: Practitioners Session
Date : 10 October 2024
Time : 08h30
Venue: Jack Botes Hall, Polokwane

DAY 2 : Ministerial Session

Date : 11 October 2024
Time : 08h30
Venue: Jack Botes Hall, Polokwane

For media enquiries, kindly contact:
Legadima Leso
Cell: 066 479 9904

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