The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) calls on government to invest in climate resistant infrastructure as episodes of dangerous weather occur more frequently.
Hundreds of people have been evacuated following persistent heavy rain and flooding in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Eastern Cape. The South African Weather Service has warned of severe thunderstorms, strong winds and hail across Kwa-Zulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Free State and North West this week. The Northern Cape, Limpopo and North West have been cautioned about the high risk of fires this week. Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, the Karoo and many other parts of the country have experienced serious water shortages.
COSATU 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.
Particularly worrying for COSATU, is that poor and working-class communities are the most vulnerable and worst affected. It is 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.
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On the other side of the spectrum are the fires that spread through informal settlements, gutting people's lives, leaving them completely destitute, and in some cases, even without ID documents.
The time is now for government to invest in climate resistant infrastructure appropriate for each of the diverse geographies the country boasts. For instance, 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.
So far the conversations about climate change have been dominated by energy and greenhouse gas emissions, but it is now clear that the discussion around how to protect people against extreme weather events must be brought to the fore. Investments must be made to mitigate and address the causes of climate change, e.g. conservation and recycling of water, low carbon emissions, recycling of consumer and industrial goods, reforestation and rehabilitation of land and support for jobs in the green economy.
The Federation calls on government and the private sector to be proactive, save lives and livelihoods by investing in climate resilient infrastructure.
