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Terminology
DISASTER MANAGEMENT TERMINOLOGY
The terminology used in this Disaster Management Plan is obtained from the applicable
Acts of Parliament, Policy Statements as in White Papers, and in documents obtained from
authoritative sources in books and on the internet. Unless otherwise mentioned the
terminology is as stated in General Notice, Notice 285 Of 2000, Department Of Provincial
And Local Government, Disaster Management Act, 2002 and the White Paper on Disaster
Management.
CBO’s: Community-based organizations.
Contingency planning: The forward planning process, for an event which may or may
not occur, in which scenarios and objectives are agreed, managerial and technical actions
defined, and potential response systems put in place to prevent, or respond effectively to an
emergency situation.
Criteria: A standard, rule, guide or test against which a judgement or decision is based.
Development: A process for improving human well being through reallocation of
resources that may involve some modification to the environment. It addresses basic
needs, equity and the redistribution of wealth. Its focus is on the quality of life rather than
the quantity of economic activity.
Disaster management: A collective term encompassing all aspects of planning for and
responding to disasters, including both pre and post-disaster activities namely, prevention,
mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation. It may refer to the
management of both the risks and consequences of disasters. It means a continuous and
integrated multisectoral, multidisciplinary process of planning, and implementation of
measures.
Disaster: means a progressive or sudden, widespread or localized, natural or human
caused occurrence causing catastrophic situation whereby the day-to-day patterns of life
are, or are threatened to be, disrupted and people are, or are threatened to be, plunged into
helplessness and suffering.
Drought: A condition that occurs over a period of time when rainfall is so low (or
unreliable) that natural vegetation and/or farming activities are severely damaged or
destroyed.
Early warning: The identification, interpretation and recognition of events that would
draw attention to a potential emergency.
Emergency: A sudden and usually unforeseen event that calls for immediate measures to
minimize its adverse consequences.
Emergency preparedness: means a state of readiness which enables organs of state, and
other institutions involved in disaster management, the private sector, communities and
individuals to mobilize, organize, and provide relief measures to deal with an impending or
current disaster or the effects of a disaster.
Epidemic: An outbreak of a contagious disease that spreads rapidly and widely amongst
people and/or animals.
Expenditure: Disbursements of funds by government.
Floodplain: An area of land adjacent to a river that is inundated by floods occurring in the
river.
Green Paper: A government policy document that is at discussion phase.
Hazardous substances: Substances that can cause harm or damage to humans, animals
and the environment.
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Terminology
Hazards: Threats to life, well-being, material goods and/or the environment. Extreme
natural processes or technological developments cause them. When a hazard results in
great suffering or collapse, it is usually termed a disaster.
Human-made disasters: Disasters or emergency situations that are caused directly or
indirectly by identifiable human actions, deliberate or otherwise.
Incident: A relatively minor occurrence or event (that can lead to a public crisis).
Infrastructure: Roads, dams, power stations and wastewater treatment plants to name but
a few examples.
Integrated development plan: in relation to a municipality, means a plan envisaged in
section 22 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000.
Line function: Refers to the departments that implement government policy.
Local disaster: means a disaster classified as a local disaster in terms of section 23.
Local municipality: means a municipality that shares municipal executive and legislative
authority in its area with a district municipality within whose area it falls, and which is
described in section 155(1) of the Constitution as a category B municipality.
MEC: Member of the Executive Council.
Metropolitan municipality: means a municipality that has exclusive executive and
legislative authority in its area, and which is described in section 155(1) of the Constitution
as a category A municipality.
Minister: means the Cabinet member designated in terms of section 3 to administer this
Act.
MINMEC: The committee of ministers and members of Executive Councils.
Mitigation: Action taken to reduce the effects of a disaster. The term normally implies
that while it may be possible to prevent some disaster effects, other effects will persist and
can be modified or reduced, if appropriate steps are taken.
Monitoring: A system of checking and observing to ensure that the correct procedures
and practices are being followed.
Municipal disaster management office:
means an office established in the
administration of a municipality in terms of section 38.
Municipal legislation: means municipal by-laws or any subordinate legislation made in
terms or a by-law.
National disaster management framework: means the national disaster management
framework established in terms of section 5.
Natural disasters: Extreme climatologically, hydrological or geological process that pose
a threat to persons, property, the environment and the economy.
NGOs: Non-governmental organizations.
Post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation: means efforts aimed at restoring normality in
conditions caused by a disaster.
Preparedness: Measures aimed at impeding the occurrences of disasters and/or
preventing such occurrences and its harmful effects.
Prevention: in relation to a disaster, means measures aimed at stopping a disaster from
occurring or preventing an occurrence from becoming a disaster.
Private sector: Refers to everything which is privately owned and controlled, such as
business, banks and insurance companies, the stock exchange, private schools and clinics.
Public sector: Refers to everything that is publicly owned and controlled. It includes
government, state owned companies (e.g., Iscor and Telkom), national agencies such as the
South African Police Services, public schools and hospitals.
Rapid-onset disasters: A rapid-onset disaster is often caused by natural events such as
earthquakes, floods, storms, fires and volcanic eruptions. Although such events are more
sudden, the impact can also be heightened by underlying problems associated with poverty.
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Terminology
Recovery: The rehabilitation and reconstruction activities necessary for a rapid return to
normality.
Rehabilitation: Actions taken in the aftermath of a disaster to enable basic services to
resume functioning, to assist affected persons in self-help efforts to repair dwellings and
community facilities, and to facilitate the revival or economic activities.
Relief: Activities aimed at supporting victims of disaster through provision of shelter,
medicine, food, clothing, water, etc.
Response: Activities that are arranged to deal with emergency situations and can involve
the evacuation of people, dealing with accidents, extinguishing fires, etc. in order to bring
relief to people and communities affected by the disaster.
Risk reduction: Measures taken to reduce long-term risks associated with human activity
or natural events.
Sanitation: Refers to facilities for the disposal of sewage and refuse.
SETAs: Sector Education and Training Authorities established in terms of the Skills
Development Act.
Slow-onset disasters: Slow-onset disasters or “creeping emergencies”, (so named because
they take several months or years to reach a critical phase) result when the ability of people
to support themselves and sustain their livelihoods, slowly diminishes over time. Such
disasters may also be aggravated by ecological, social, economic or political conditions.
Statutory functionary: means a person performing a function or exercising a power
assigned to that person by national, provincial or municipal legislation; preventing or
reducing the risk of disasters; mitigating the severity or consequences of disaster;
emergency preparedness; a rapid and effective response to disaster; and post-disaster
recovery and rehabilitation.
Strategy: Different actions or steps that can be taken to reach the aims of policy.
Vulnerability: The degree to which an individual, family, community or region is at risk
of experiencing misfortune following extreme events.
White Paper: A document that contains official government policy, duly adopted by
Parliament or Cabinet.
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