Question NW1299 to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Reply:

(a) The National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) is a subcommittee of Cabinet, chaired by the President. The structuresreplicated across the spheres of government established by Cabinet. The Minister of Cooperative Governance issued directionsto ensure a well-integrated and coordinated planning and response to the COVID-19, these directions provide for the establishment of the provincial and district municipality’s institutional structures with the roles and responsibilities for the Provincial and Municipal Coronavirus Command Councils. These structures are established in line with the Directions (Gazette No. 43147) issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2002.

i/ National

The National Coronavirus Command Council is a structure that is established by Cabinet and chaired by the President. The Office of the Presidency coordinates this structure and not the Department of Cooperative Governance.

ii.Provincial

The roles and responsibilities of the Province include:

1. Establish the Provincial Command Council
2. Establish coordinating structures at provincial level to support the national institutional arrangements.
3. Support the establishment of joint operation centres per district and metropolitan municipality.
4. Avail resources to supplement the capacity of the joint operation centre or the district disaster management centres.
5. Monitor the impact of interventions and submit weekly consolidated reports to the national disaster management structures.

iii. Local

1. Establish the District Command Council with immediate effect.
2. Establish coordinating structures at municipal level to support the national and provincial institutional arrangements in collaboration with district and provincial administrations.
3. Participate in joint district and provincial disaster management structures to ensure a coordinated response to COVID-19.
4. Monitor the progress and impact of interventions in the municipality and submit weekly consolidated reports to the provincial and national disaster management structures.

(b) How do the various disaster management command councils co-ordinate measures to address a declared disaster.

The Coronavirus Command Council’s purpose is to facilitate and support implementation of the measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 pandemic across provinces and districts at political level. There are various structures at both provincial and district levels which reports to the Provincial and District Coronavirus Command Centres on the implementation of interventions and response measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

End.