Gift of the Givers asks state if it will ever be ready to manage disasters

The government needs a co-ordinated, simple structure to cut out bureaucracy and respond efficiently to the needs of vulnerable people in times of crisis.

“Are we ever going to be ready?” asked Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman in an open letter, reflecting on a week of extreme weather that wreaked havoc, displaced thousands of people and claimed at least one life in the Western Cape.

The SA Weather Service warned of another cold front making landfall in the province on Friday and issued alerts for more damaging rain, wind and waves.

“The litmus test of a government is its speed of response in times of crisis to its people, including the poor, the vulnerable, the disadvantaged and the less fortunate, who voted them into power not to bask in self-importance but to serve, for servanthood is the essence of a values and ethics-driven government,” wrote Sooliman.

“While disaster management teams do an incredible job removing debris, clearing drains, securing power lines, moving trees and saving lives, where are the departments responsible for arranging places of shelter and safety which should have been opened on day one?” he asked.

“Where are the departments to provide the basics of mattresses, blankets, warm clothing, shoes, hygiene and baby packs, hot meals, hot drinks, bottled water, sanitary pads and diapers as a bare minimum for wet, cold, hungry and distraught victims affected?”

Sooliman said the government needed a “co-ordinated, simple, one-department structure that has all regulations in place, cutting out bureaucracy to respond rapidly, efficiently and decisively to the needs of vulnerable people.

“Why are there no warehouses filled with supplies to respond and bring ease immediately to victims? This is not the first disaster of this magnitude and it won’t be the last. Are we ever going to be ready?

“The time is long overdue for all tiers of government to find a humane solution for shack dwellers where immense suffering and loss of life (whether in fire or flood) is preventable but yet is ongoing.

Sooliman cautioned that responding to a crisis of such a magnitude required assistance from corporates, high-net worth individuals, professionals, the community and NGOs.

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