Partnership continues to empower vulnerable communities

Santam, South Africa’s leading general insurer, has today announced an extension of its ground-breaking initiative to capacitate municipalities to deal with flood and fire risks. 

Known as the Partnership for Risk and Resilience (P4RR), the initiative will support 53 municipalities with developing technical expertise to plan for and manage against climatic risks, such as the recent devastating floods in Durban and Gauteng, as well as the fire in Knysna. Santam has partnered with the Department of Cooperative Governance (DCoG) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in rolling out the P4RR initiative. 

Santam has donated more than R1-million worth of firefighting equipment to capacitate the Sedibeng District Municipality to deal with flood and fire risks. The equipment was handed over at an event attended by Councillor Busisiwe Modisakeng, the Executive Mayor of Sedibeng District Municipality, as well as local leaders and representatives from the national and Gauteng Disaster Management Fire and Rescue Services. 

The equipment includes over 60 firefighting suits, 48 firefighting hoses and 1 000 smoke detectors, essential equipment in saving local lives. It will be utilised to assist with fire and flood risks for the Emfuleni, Lesedi and Mid-Vaal Local Municipalities, which all fall under the jurisdiction of the Sedibeng council. 

Over the coming months, Santam will – as part of the P4RR programme – provide other services to the district municipality that include firefighter training, mapping and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) improvements, the sharing of disaster risk management knowledge, and a community risk assessment. An important aspect of the programme going forward will also be the creation of a coalition of NGOs to support disaster relief and efficient aid distribution. 

“Ultimately, the goal of the programme is to reduce the loss of life and property resulting from fire or floods. Apart from helping to improve inter-governmental relations relating to disaster risk management, Santam’s overall role in P4RR is to reduce systemic risks and to help communities to better manage these risks,” saidMokaedi Dilotsotlhe, Santam’s Executive Head for Brand and Marketing. 

“Our assistance with important service delivery elements such as firefighting equipment and disaster risk management is part of a wide spectrum of support Santam provides to local governments and communities. Investing in communities helps them to be more resilient and self-sufficient, and is part of Santam’s approach to end-to-end risk management,” he added. 

The P4RR programme aims to improve service delivery in 53 municipalities across South Africa by building strong partnerships with Government, the private sector and councils. Until 2020, three district municipalities per year will be added into the programme. The goal of the programme is to positively impact the lives of millions of South Africans. The P4RR programme has also been recently endorsed by Sasria, the Government-owned short-term insurer, which recently signed an agreement to join P4RR. 

To date, recipient district municipalities of the P4RR programme have included Ehlanzeni and Sarah Baartman. Municipalities have been selected based on inputs from the National Government, as part of a request to expand and accelerate the P4RR programme. 

Cllr Modisakeng applauded Santam for the impact they’re making in communities throughout South Africa and further encouraged that a Sedibeng Disaster Relief forum becomes functional. 

“Our ability as a municipality to mitigate risks and to respond to disasters will be dramatically improved as a result of the P4RR programme. This equipment will help us to offer more efficient and effective fire-fighting, and more broadly, to improve our responsiveness to disasters,” she said. 

Dr Elias Sithole, head of the Gauteng provincial disaster management centre, reiterated the mayor’s comments and said it’s really a good thing that partnership between the private sector and government will enable the municipality to respond to disasterincidences. 

“As a result communities will be empowered,” he concluded.ude firefighter training, mapping and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) improvements, the sharing of disaster risk management knowledge, and a community risk assessment. An important aspect of the programme going forward will also be the creation of a coalition of NGOs to support disaster relief and efficient aid distribution.

“Ultimately, the goal of the programme is to reduce the loss of life and property resulting from fire or floods. Apart from helping to improve inter-governmental relations relating to disaster risk management, Santam’s overall role in P4RR is to reduce systemic risks and to help communities to better manage these risks,” saidMokaedi Dilotsotlhe, Santam’s Executive Head for Brand and Marketing.

“Our assistance with important service delivery elements such as firefighting equipment and disaster risk management is part of a wide spectrum of support Santam provides to local governments and communities. Investing in communities helps them to be more resilient and self-sufficient, and is part of Santam’s approach to end-to-end risk management,” he added.

The P4RR programme aims to improve service delivery in 53 municipalities across South Africa by building strong partnerships with Government, the private sector and councils. Until 2020, three district municipalities per year will be added into the programme. The goal of the programme is to positively impact the lives of millions of South Africans. The P4RR programme has also been recently endorsed by Sasria, the Government-owned short-term insurer, which recently signed an agreement to join P4RR.

To date, recipient district municipalities of the P4RR programme have included Ehlanzeni and Sarah Baartman. Municipalities have been selected based on inputs from the National Government, as part of a request to expand and accelerate the P4RR programme.

Cllr Modisakeng applauded Santam for the impact they’re making in communities throughout South Africa and further encouraged that a Sedibeng Disaster Relief forum becomes functional.

“Our ability as a municipality to mitigate risks and to respond to disasters will be dramatically improved as a result of the P4RR programme. This equipment will help us to offer more efficient and effective fire-fighting, and more broadly, to improve our responsiveness to disasters,” she said.

Dr Elias Sithole, head of the Gauteng provincial disaster management centre, reiterated the mayor’s comments and said it’s really a good thing that partnership between the private sector and government will enable the municipality to respond to disaster incidences.

“As a result communities will be empowered,” he concluded.