Question NW74 to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Reply:

In relation to the exact capacity available in each Province and what is required to react to national rescue disasters, the Department performs annual assessments of Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) capacity within Provinces, which includes provision of funding for training and development for purposes of establishing and maintaining sustainable USAR capacity within Provinces.

The NDMC will in the new financial year initiate a process for the development of National USAR standards for the South African USAR teams accreditation process. The standard will identify specific roles and responsibilities for each Urban Search and Rescue activity included in the operational plans of the various USAR teams participating in disaster response efforts. It will also provide mechanisms to determine the level of implementation of USAR activities according to the magnitude of the event or disaster and the capacity of the USAR team to deal with it. The standard will be introduced in all spheres of government, and it will also make provision for the development of USAR response systems for all government USAR teams involved in response, including the private sector, NGOs, and technical experts for the purpose of enhancing USAR capacity within the country.

The above initiatives will be aligned to the United Nations International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), as South Africa is a signatory to the UN General Assembly Resolution 57/150 on "Strengthening the Effectiveness and Coordination of International USAR Assistance" (2002) which underpins much of the actions taken by the Department in the areas of effective preparation, coordination and response to rescue related disasters.

I thank you.