Question NW3220 to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
20 November 2023 - NW3220
Smalle, Mr JF to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)Whether her department initiated any studies and/or research into urban search and rescue; if not, why not; if so, (a) by whom were the studies and/or research conducted and (b) what critical findings have been made; (2) what is current capacity of her department’s urban search and rescue in terms of (a) human resources and (b) aero fleet; (3) what are the current annual deployment budgets set aside for (a) urban search and rescue and (b) aeronautical and maritime search and rescue; (4) what are the current vacancy rates at the (a) aeronautical and maritime rescue, (b) fire rescue and (c) disaster rescue centres of her department in each province?
Reply:
1. The department (COGTA) has initiated capacity assessments that exist nationally into urban search and rescue; (a) conducted by the Directorate: Fire Services and the assessments were completed for Gauteng, Western Cape, North West, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces and (b) It was found that the two provinces (GP & WC) are complaint and have capacity to render Urban Search and Rescue, moreover, the other provinces found not having required capacity to render USAR. In building capacity, the department has trained 25 personnel in each province (NW and KZN). Currently the directorate: Fire Services has embarked on USAR enhancement project in EC and LP.
2. (a) Currently the department (COGTA) operates by two (2) officials and one vacancy in the Directorate: Fire Services.
(b) The department has access to obtain aircraft through emergency procurement or through cooperation with Non-Governmental Organisations where or when needed
3. The department (COGTA) do not maintain dedicated annual deployment budgets set aside for (a) urban search and rescue, but where funds may be required for deployment such funds may be allocated through reallocation of the unused operational budget of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC). (b) The Cooperative Governance And Traditional Affairs (COGTA) do not maintain a dedicated budget for aeronautical and maritime search and rescue as these functions are administered through the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) operated and maintained in terms of the South African Maritime and Aeronautical search and Rescue Act, 2002 administered by the National Department of Transport. As far as the maritime SAR is concerned, the National Department of Transport through SAMSA only submits an operational budget for the management and operationalization of the MRCC, not deployment of SAR assets. The financial implication for the deployment of private SAR assets is managed by the Department (of Transport), in liaison with the RCC Chief. It is on a pay for service basis and not on retention. “Private” referring to non-government organizations. Budget allocations for SAR asset deployment and maintenance should be available from the relevant SASAR member departments. ARCC is currently hosted and funded by Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS). The annual budget allocated by ATNS to resource ARCC is approximately R8,1 million rand annually for Human Resources and R500 000 annually for travel.
4. (a) The department (COGTA) do not have the details available of the vacancy rates at the aeronautical and maritime rescue as these functions are administered through the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) operated and maintained in terms of the South African Maritime and Aeronautical search and Rescue Act, 2002 administered by the National Department of Transport . The structure of the MRCC currently comprises of 17 positions in total. Namely:-.
- MRCC Chief (1)
- MRCC Operations Supervisor (1)
- Duty Controllers (7)
- Assistant Duty Controllers (7)
- Admin Officer (1)
Current Status:-
- MRCC Chief – Vacant
- MRCC Ops Supervisor- Filled
- Duty Controllers – 6 filled (1 vacancy)
- Assistant Duty Controllers – 5 filled (2 vacancies)
- Office Admin – Vacant
Total no. of vacancies: 5 (applicable to this Financial Year)
(b) The department (COGTA) has one vacancy in the Directorate: Fire Services in terms of fire and rescue, and
(c) The department (COGTA) do not maintain disaster rescue centres in each province as the Disaster Management Act, 2002 requires each province to establish and maintain a Disaster Management Centre in each province that play a role to coordinate and manage amongst other things the rescue of persons during a disaster.
End.