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C. H. Vhumbunu
The Draft National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) of South
Africa, awaiting finalization and adoption, outline the national vision for addressing
climate change and the country’s transition to a climate-resilient economy while the
National Development Plan (NDP) also mentions the importance of measures and
policies key in disaster management and environmental sustainability. This is also
aligned not only to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)East African Community (EAC)-SADC Tripartite Programme on Climate Change
Adaptation and Mitigation, and the African Common Position on Climate Change
which all aim at addressing the impacts of climate change through effective adaptation and mitigation interventions in order not only to build social and economic
resilience in communities but also to the global disaster management frameworks
and climate change adaptation regimes such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster
Risk Reduction (2015–2030) which is a key policy framework on disaster risk reduction as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that stresses the need
to reduce disaster risks.
It is against this background that the key research questions underpinning this
chapter specifically sought to understand the various challenges, complexities, and
dynamics of drought mitigation, water conservation, and water management adopted
and utilized in Western Cape in the wake of Day Zero in order to mitigate and reduce
the effects of the drought disaster on the social and economic livelihoods of communities in the province. The significance of such an inquiry is that it is relevant to the
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030)’s priority of “understanding disaster risk(s)” and the goal of “preventing new and reducing existing
disaster risks through the implementation of integrated and inclusive…measures that
prevent and reduce hazard exposure and vulnerability to disaster…” (United Nations
2015: 12). The lessons that emerged from this research on Western Cape communities, disaster management institutions, municipalities, and other stakeholders are key
in pursuit of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030)’s priorities of “strengthening disaster risk governance to management risk” and “investing in
disaster risk reduction for resilience” as well as “enhancing disaster preparedness for
effective response” all in pursuit of the global targets to reduce the number of people
affected, and disruption posed to basic services globally, by disasters (United Nations
2015: 14). Further, the attainment of SDGs Goal 2 on ending hunger, achieving
food security, and promoting sustainable agriculture; Goal 6 on ensuring availability
and sustainable management of water and sanitation; Goal 11 on making cities and
human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable; Goal 14 on conserving
and sustainably using oceans, seas, and marine resources; and Goal 15 promoting
sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems are all linked to the research aims and
objectives of the study as insights emerging from the study provide lessons for other
drought-stricken communities, especially in developing countries in Africa, Asia,
Latin America, and across the globe as countries as pursuing the key priorities and
targets of both the Sendai Framework and SDGs as well as other related frameworks
such as the New Urban Agenda.
C. H. Vhumbunu
The Draft National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) of South
Africa, awaiting finalization and adoption, outline the national vision for addressing
climate change and the country’s transition to a climate-resilient economy while the
National Development Plan (NDP) also mentions the importance of measures and
policies key in disaster management and environmental sustainability. This is also
aligned not only to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)East African Community (EAC)-SADC Tripartite Programme on Climate Change
Adaptation and Mitigation, and the African Common Position on Climate Change
which all aim at addressing the impacts of climate change through effective adaptation and mitigation interventions in order not only to build social and economic
resilience in communities but also to the global disaster management frameworks
and climate change adaptation regimes such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster
Risk Reduction (2015–2030) which is a key policy framework on disaster risk reduction as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that stresses the need
to reduce disaster risks.
It is against this background that the key research questions underpinning this
chapter specifically sought to understand the various challenges, complexities, and
dynamics of drought mitigation, water conservation, and water management adopted
and utilized in Western Cape in the wake of Day Zero in order to mitigate and reduce
the effects of the drought disaster on the social and economic livelihoods of communities in the province. The significance of such an inquiry is that it is relevant to the
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030)’s priority of “understanding disaster risk(s)” and the goal of “preventing new and reducing existing
disaster risks through the implementation of integrated and inclusive…measures that
prevent and reduce hazard exposure and vulnerability to disaster…” (United Nations
2015: 12). The lessons that emerged from this research on Western Cape communities, disaster management institutions, municipalities, and other stakeholders are key
in pursuit of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030)’s priorities of “strengthening disaster risk governance to management risk” and “investing in
disaster risk reduction for resilience” as well as “enhancing disaster preparedness for
effective response” all in pursuit of the global targets to reduce the number of people
affected, and disruption posed to basic services globally, by disasters (United Nations
2015: 14). Further, the attainment of SDGs Goal 2 on ending hunger, achieving
food security, and promoting sustainable agriculture; Goal 6 on ensuring availability
and sustainable management of water and sanitation; Goal 11 on making cities and
human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable; Goal 14 on conserving
and sustainably using oceans, seas, and marine resources; and Goal 15 promoting
sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems are all linked to the research aims and
objectives of the study as insights emerging from the study provide lessons for other
drought-stricken communities, especially in developing countries in Africa, Asia,
Latin America, and across the globe as countries as pursuing the key priorities and
targets of both the Sendai Framework and SDGs as well as other related frameworks
such as the New Urban Agenda.