National Disaster Management Framework, 2005

The DM Act stipulates two main provisions for the contents of the NDMF. These are:

  1. that the framework must be consistent with international best practice in disaster risk reduction; and
  2. that it must provide a coherent, inclusive and transparent policy on disaster risk management for South Africa.

These provisions are broken down into 13 sub-provisions, which are listed in section 7(2)(a–m) of the DM Act.

One of the key sub-provisions that informed the NDMF was that the framework must guide the development and implementation of disaster risk management as envisaged by the DM Act. To comply with this requirement and to make it easier to implement the Act, the drafters of the NDMF decided to arrange the 2 main provisions and the 13 sub-provisions into logical components.

After much consultation and deliberation, it was agreed to organise the framework into four key performance areas (KPAs), each with a specific objective. In addition, it was agreed that the four KPAs would be supported by three performance enablers. These were necessary in order to achieve the objectives of the KPAs.

The four KPAs that were developed are:
KPA 1: Integrated institutional capacity for disaster risk management;
KPA 2: Disaster risk assessment;
KPA 3: Disaster risk reduction; and
KPA 4: Response and recovery.

The three enablers are:
Performance Enabler 1: Information management and communication;
Performance Enabler 2: Education, training, public awareness and research (knowledge management); and
Performance Enabler 3: Funding arrangements for disaster risk management.

Another important factor that had to be considered was that the framework had to provide key performance indicators (KPIs) in respect of the various aspects of disaster risk management. To conform to this requirement, the framework lists KPIs for each KPA and each enabler. The KPIs serve as a tool to guide and monitor the progress being made with the development and implementation process.

Put simply, the NDMF serves to establish consistency in approach by describing the following aspects for each of the KPAs and enablers:

  • what must be done;
  • who must do it;
  • where it must be done (if relevant);
  • why it must be done;
  • how it must be done (by providing broad criteria); and
  • when it must be done (if relevant).

During the drafting of the framework it became clear that if uniformity and joint standards of practice were to be achieved in the application of the Act and the framework, then it was necessary to develop and disseminate guidelines to support and facilitate the implementation process. The guidelines would also serve to accelerate the implementation process.

 Need easy access to a copy of the National Disaster Management Framework? Then dip into the Statute Jar.

 SJ 8 National Disaster Management Framework, Government Notice 654 of 2005.

Before we continue, we need to first discuss the date of commencement of the DM Act, as this has had an important bearing on the way in which the development of the guidelines has unfolded.