MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Hartenbos was the host of the internationally recognised annual Disaster Management Conference for Southern Africa from 18 to 19 September.
The conference was held at the ATKV Resort. The conference programme for the Disaster Management Institute of Southern Africa (DMISA) focused on reducing disaster damage to critical infrastructure and reducing disruption of basic services.
Mossel Bay mayor, Harry Levendal, addressed the delegates on the first day of the conference and said it was a privilege to welcome everyone to the conference.
Levendal said that the conference had for a long time distinguished itself as a common platform for disaster management practitioners to share knowledge, experience, skill and best practices.
President of DMISA, Mduduzi Nxumalo, said during his message to the delegates, from both public and private sectors, that the root concern for their common commitment was to better the human condition.
"May we, by keeping these people in mind, work harder towards disaster risk reduction."
The programme for 18 September focused on adapting to extremes and limiting disaster loss. Doctor Johan Minnie, board member of DMISA, spoke to delegates about achievements and the conference approach. Doctor Mmaphaka Tau, head: National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) of South Africa discussed the overview of disaster management in South Africa from the perspective of the National Disaster Management Centre, while Greg Forsyth, senior project manager of CSIR, talked about wildfire risk in South Africa, currently and in the future.
Greg Forsyth, senior project manager at CSIR.
On Thursday more panel members took to the stage with Lebogang Makgati, senior forecaster at the South African Weather Service, discussed what had been learnt from Cyclone Idai.
Greg Forsyth, senior project manager of CSIR discussed the Knysna fires of 2017 and what they had learnt from this disaster.
The conference provided an annual opportunity for a diverse range of stakeholders in disaster management from across Africa to gather and share skills, knowledge and experience and will take place again in 2020.
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