An exploration of rural communities' and government response strategies to drought in South Africa : the case of Msinga villages in KwaZulu-Natal province.
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Date
2010
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Abstract
This thesis seeks to explore and examine the application and use of indigenous
knowledge systems (IKS) in the management of drought through a case study of
Msinga village communities in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal Province, paying
specific attention to droughts that have been recorded and that prevail in the area.
Government's policy aimed at mitigating and the effect of drought on communities
and its effectiveness is examined as well. The question is whether government policy
measures supplement rural communities' drought management strategies.
The findings demonstrated that droughts are endemic in the study area and that
drought-management strategies are as intrinsic to local livelihood systems as are
seasonal-adjustment strategies. The findings also indicated that communities in
Msinga have knowledge of drought management. However, this knowledge
contributes very little to the management of drought. The findings also demonstrated
that there is poor capacity in government to deal with disasters and this has serious
repercussions for poor rural communities in Msinga. Disaster management requires
disaster reduction, planning, and capacity to reduce the losses borne by
impoverished households. This process will be more effective if there is efficient
mobilization of resources, rapid responses, and a long-term strategy to prevent
drought and reduce the risks of vulnerable groups, rather than transferring risks. The
new legislation, the Disaster Management Act of 2002, should ensure that any form
of financial and bureaucratic bottlenecks are eliminated so that assistance reaches
people more quickly and is based on developing a long-term programme targeting
the reduction of risks from the drought prevailing in Msinga. It is also important that
NGOs in the area are empowered and involved in disaster management and are
able to play their full role.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.
Keywords
Droughts--KwaZulu-Natal., Ethnoscience--KwaZulu-Natal., Drought relief--KwaZulu-Natal., Drought relief--Law and legislation--KwaZulu-Natal., Droughts--Social aspects--KwaZulu-Natal., Droughts--Economic aspects--KwaZulu-Natal., Droughts--Government policy--KwaZulu-Natal., Theses--Social work.