MINISTER HLABISA LEADS G20 DISASTER RISK REDUCTION OUTREACH IN KLIPTOWN, SOWETO

Today, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Honourable Velenkosini Hlabisa, led a community outreach program in Kliptown, Soweto, as part of the build-up to the G20 Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Working Group engagements. The outreach forms part of Government’s commitment to advancing community-centered resilience and proactive disaster risk reduction.

Minister Hlabisa was accompanied by Gauteng MEC for CoGTA, Honourable Jacob Mamabolo, the Head of the National Disaster Management Centre, Dr Elias Sithole, the Executive Head of the City of Johannesburg Disaster Management Centre, Ms Vicky Manyathi, and the Chief Commissioner of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Mr Patrick Jaca.

The Minister led a walkabout through Kliptown to engage residents directly and assess the living conditions firsthand. Community members shared their ongoing struggles, including poor housing infrastructure, inadequate access to basic services, recurring flooding, and unsafe electricity connections, issues that do not only threaten lives but also undermine the dignity and security of families in the area.

As part of the outreach program, the Gauteng Provincial Disaster Management Centre and the City of Johannesburg’s Disaster Management Centre hosted exhibitions to raise public awareness around disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and risk reduction initiatives. The Minister was also briefed on the work of the Kliptown Youth Programme, a local organization working to empower young people through education and skills development.

Reflecting on the visit, Minister Hlabisa said: “Today’s outreach is a reminder of the resilience of our people and the urgency with which we must act. No community should have to face repeated disasters alone or live in conditions that compromise their safety and dignity. Our approach to disaster risk reduction must be integrated, long-term, and rooted in the needs of those most affected.”

MEC Mamabolo added: “The voices of the people of Kliptown were heard today. Now it is the responsibility of all levels of government to respond with coordinated, meaningful interventions that improve lives and build trust.”

This outreach highlights the importance of localized engagement as a cornerstone of South Africa’s broader G20 DRR agenda. It also affirms the government’s collective resolve across national, provincial, and local spheres to work together in building disaster-resilient communities, strengthening service delivery, and ensuring that all South Africans live in safe, dignified conditions.

ENDS.

Media Enquiries:

Ms. Pearl Maseko-Binqose

Media Liaison Officer for the Minister of CoGTA

+27 (82) 772 1709

Mr. Legadima Leso

Head of Communications, CoGTA

+27 (66) 479 9904

Issued by the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

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