The eThekwini Municipality hosted a Media Empowerment Workshop on El Niño and climate change , bringing together journalists, climate scientists, researchers, and municipal experts to strengthen public awareness and preparedness ahead of the anticipated El Niño season.
?The workshop was held at the Durban Botanic Gardens and provided members of the media with direct access to expert insights on climate projections, disaster preparedness, public health, infrastructure resilience, and environmental management.
?The programme featured presentations from the South African Weather Service on climate and El Niño projections, Prof Cathy Sutherland from the University of KwaZulu-Natal on the impacts of climate change on local government, Prof Rajen Naidoo on child heat impacts and climate health interventions, and several municipal specialists who outlined the City’s response measures and long-term climate adaptation programmes.
?Speaking at the workshop, eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila emphasised the crucial role of the media in communicating climate-related information to residents.
?Mzila said: “As climate-related risks continue to affect communities across our city, it is essential that residents receive accurate, credible, and timely information. Through this workshop, we aimed to empower media practitioners with the knowledge and context needed to report responsibly on El Niño, climate change, and disaster preparedness. An informed public is a better prepared public, and the media remains one of our most important partners in building resilient communities.”
?During her presentation, Prof Cathy Sutherland highlighted the growing responsibility of local government in responding to climate and environmental challenges.
?Prof Sutherland said: “El Niño does not create new vulnerabilities, but it intensifies existing challenges such as water insecurity, food insecurity, health risks, and the impacts of poverty. Building climate resilience requires collaboration between government, communities, researchers, and the private sector to ensure effective adaptation and response measures.”
?Among the key themes discussed were water security, food security, disaster risk reduction, climate-resilient infrastructure, air quality management, and the importance of early warning systems in protecting vulnerable communities. Experts also showcased several municipal programmes designed to strengthen resilience and support sustainable development.
?During the disaster preparedness presentation, Jotham Khumalo from the eThekwini Disaster Management Directorate detailed the City’s comprehensive readiness measures for climate-related emergencies. These include the establishment of an El Niño Coordination Team, ongoing risk assessments, strengthened early warning and early action systems, public awareness campaigns, and coordinated response planning through the Joint Operations Centre.
?The City has further enhanced its preparedness by updating its Disaster Risk and Response Management Plan and implementing lessons learned from previous flood events to ensure a more effective and coordinated response to future disasters.
?The municipality reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the media to ensure residents remain informed about climate-related risks and the actions being taken to safeguard communities, infrastructure, and essential services.
ENDS
RIP Inkosi Bhekuzalo Shozi