EThekwini Mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba, convened the second Municipal Forum for Climate Change meeting on 05 May 2026, bringing together municipal leadership, sector experts and stakeholders to deliberate on key climate policy frameworks, global developments and implementation priorities shaping the City’s climate response.
EThekwini became the first municipality to set up a governance structure of this nature, in accordance with section 9 of the Climate Change Act and Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act.
Mayor Xaba said:
“The establishment of the eThekwini Municipal Forum on Climate Change is a historic step in strengthening coordinated climate governance at local government level. By bringing together organised labour, business, civil society, traditional leadership and other stakeholders, we are ensuring that our climate response is inclusive, informed, and aligned with the principles of a just transition to a climate resilient and low carbon future.
“Climate Change is a present reality. As a municipality, we are enhancing our preparedness, strengthening infrastructure resilience, and mobilising partners to protect communities, safeguard essential services, and reduce climate-related risks,” he commented.
“As climate risks intensify, we must also innovate. EThekwini is committed to exploring the role of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, alongside Indigenous Knowledge Systems, to improve climate planning, early warning systems and resilience. These considerations will form part of our upcoming climate change policy review,” he added.
Central to the discussions was the Durban Climate Change Strategy (DCCS), presented by Dr Luyanda Mafumbu, the Deputy Director, Climate Change.
The DCCS remains the City’s overarching framework guiding climate action across adaptation, mitigation and a just transition.
The Strategy reinforces eThekwini’s commitment to building climate resilience, while pursuing inclusive economic development and improved service delivery.
Key focus areas include water security, coastal protection, biodiversity, food systems, public health, sustainable transport and energy transition, supported by strong governance, climate finance and institutional capacity building.
The Forum also reflected on the key outcomes of COP30, presented by Pemy Gasela, Chief Director: International Climate Change Relations and Reporting, which underscored a global shift from ambition setting to implementation, with growing recognition of the critical role of cities and local governments.
Outcomes relevant to municipalities include strengthened commitments to adaptation finance, common indicators for tracking resilience, and renewed emphasis on locally-led climate action. These developments present opportunities for metros such as eThekwini to align global climate commitments with concrete, on the ground delivery.
Discussions further highlighted the Settlement Resilience Assessment Framework, which provides a structured, evidence-based approach to strengthening resilience in informal and vulnerable settlements.
Presented by Lisa Delgrande, and Dr Kiara Rampaul representing the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department (COGTA), the framework emphasised community-centred assessments, recognising that the impacts of climate change are felt most acutely at local level.
Participants noted the importance of participatory processes to ensure that climate interventions respond to lived realities and prioritise the most at risk communities.
Collectively, the discussions affirmed a clear strategic alignment: global climate frameworks, municipal strategies and community level tools must work together to drive meaningful impact.
Through the Durban Climate Change Strategy, alignment with COP outcomes and settlement focused resilience planning, eThekwini continues to demonstrate leadership in advancing climate-resilient, inclusive and sustainable urban development.
Speaker of Council, Councillor Thabani Nyawose, thanked participants and reiterated the political will of council to ensure that the City and its residents are resilient against the impacts of climate change.
Vandalism And Theft Of Municipal Infrastructure Disrupting Water And Electricity Supply