Happening Today Venue: CoGTA, Centurion Office

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Honourable Velenkosini Hlabisa, today convened a high-level bilateral meeting with Mr. Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Minister Hlabisa was joined by senior leadership from the Department of Cooperative Governance (DCoG), Director-General Mr. Mbulelo Tshangana, and Deputy Director-General Mr. Scelo Duma, as well as Dr. Elias Sithole, Head of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC). The President of the South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) was also in attendance, signifying the national importance of this engagement.

The meeting formed part of South Africa’s continued efforts to deepen international partnerships in the areas of disaster risk reduction, humanitarian response, and community resilience. It provided a platform to reinforce strategic collaboration between the Government of South Africa and the IFRC, with a particular focus on enhancing the operational capacity of the South African Red Cross Society and identifying concrete areas of cooperation with CoGTA through the NDMC.

Deliberations included a reflection on the IFRC’s role within the G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group, and the critical importance of strengthening global and national cooperation to respond to emerging and recurring disasters. A central theme of the discussions was the imperative of responding to disasters with speed, coordination, and community-centred approaches that prioritise timely relief and the restoration of human dignity. The parties further underscored the need to strengthen local resilience systems through investment in early warning infrastructure, enhanced public risk awareness, and proactive local preparedness measures.

To advance this partnership, it was agreed that a strategic workshop will be convened before the end of 2025. This workshop will serve to lay the foundation for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and the IFRC. The forthcoming MoU will be aligned with South Africa’s District Development Model (DDM), ensuring that disaster risk reduction efforts are integrated, localised, and geared toward sustainable community empowerment.

Minister Hlabisa remarked: “Our goal is to build resilient infrastructure that does not collapse when disasters strike, but rather stands firm to protect lives and livelihoods. Achieving this demands foresight, collaboration, and above all, an unwavering commitment to ensure that no community is left behind.”

Minister Hlabisa welcomed the IFRC’s commitment to partnership and reaffirmed South Africa’s dedication to strengthening cooperation with international humanitarian actors. This collaboration, he emphasised, is vital to building a safer, more responsive, and resilient society for all.