A model for a multi-agency incident command system at local government level in South Africa

Abstract

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa compels different government departments to protect and safeguard the inhabitants of South Africa. The changes to a democratic dispensation in 1994 brought a number of new challenges related to managing incidents, emergencies or disasters. The change from the old dispensation to the new resulted in gaps between the different government departments (intergovernmental and interorganizational in terms of disaster risk reduction (DRR). In an effort to bridge these gaps, the cabinet in 1997 established the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Disaster Management (IMC). This resulted in a cabinet resolution to follow international trends and to relook at the country’s approach to civil protection. The newly elected democratic government resolved to move away from traditional thinking that viewed disasters as unstoppable forces of nature for which nothing could be done. However, the floods that took place in the Cape Flats in 1994 brought a turning point in the way incidents, emergencies or disasters were managed in South Africa. This led to the promulgation of the Disaster Management Act (57 of 2002). The Disaster Management Act (57 of 2002) Section 1(f) provides for and emphasizes emergency preparedness, that recognize the benefits of multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral multiresponse and collaboration sharing of resources in the time of incidents, emergencies or disaster. In this regard there was acknowledgement that the saving of lives and the prevention of loss and damage to property and infrastructure and the environment also depend on rapid response and effective management of multi-agency stakeholders. An important aspect was highlighted that the probability of the occurrence of an incidents, emergencies or disasters is very high at local government level. Therefore, the government’s main goal became to deliver a timely, supportive response and automatic multi-aid capacity to any area in South Africa where capacities are overwhelmed. Subsequently, the South African government established Disaster Management Centres (DMCs) at the different levels of government (local, provincial and national) that became responsible for coordinating and linking the different multi-agency stakeholders within the disaster risk management structures as provided for in the National Disaster Management Framework of 2005. Although, DMCs were established, government did not fully address the problems relating to incident command in South Africa. The absence of an Incident Command System (ICS) for multi-agency stakeholders respond to incident, emergency or disaster were identified in numerous research documents and de-briefing reports as the number one challenges experienced by multi-agency stakeholders. This led to the breakdown in the four basic management functions (planning, organizing, activating, controlling) and additional six management functions (decision making, communication, motivation coordination, delegation, disciplining) that form the basis of any response and management system. Although the Disaster Management Amendment Act No. 16 of 2015 significantly brought in a focus local municipal level disaster management, it still failed to address the issues of local level ICS. With the above background, this thesis provides a detailed outline and analysis of the limitations, challenges and shortcomings of government in terms of the Disaster Management Act (57 of 2002) when multi-agency stakeholders respond to an incident, emergency or disaster. The intent is to address the perennial problem faced by local government in South Africa when intergovernmental and interorganizational multi-agency stakeholders to respond to incidents, emergency or disaster by proposing a model for a multi-agency ICS at local government level in South Africa. This study addresses the disaster risk governance problematics, particularly the ways in which government should integrate intergovernmental and interorganizational multiv agency stakeholders into an ICS that is in line with international tendencies. There is a growing consensus among researchers, scholars and disaster management practitioners regarding the statutory implementation of an ICS for South Africa. This is so because government as the main stakeholder acknowledges the need for an ICS. The central argument in this study is that an effective and efficient integrated system for intergovernmental and interorganizational multi-agency incident management is needed in South Africa. This is important because government are not designed to address this complex and boundary-crossing problem of ICS alone. It requires an integrated process to response and managing multi-agency stakeholders. Moreover, ICS until now evolved largely in isolation by these multi-agency stakeholders. This study followed a qualitative research resign aimed at building an ICS model for application at local government level in South Africa. The qualitative research focus of the thesis necessitated the use of semi-structured interviews, and observation methods to explore, define and obtain the data relevant to the research. Interviews with local government officials who are on the frontline revealed information about their needs and the frustrations they experience due to the lack of statutory regulations to guide multiagency stakeholders when responding to incidents, emergencies or disasters. Data were supplemented and compared to international best practices through semi-structured and e-mail interviews with international experts and practitioners in ICS. The information collected from the interviews was grouped and analysed, and key concepts were identified. Comparisons were drawn between the information received from the officials involved in the multi-agency incident response environment and the theory underlying this study. To achieve this objective, the study employed both theoretical and empirical dimensions. As reflected in the response of the research subjects, information obtained from this research and the literature study suggested that a need exists for an ICS model for local government. The proposed model stresses the importance of intergovernmental and interorganizational integrated approach by enhancing the national statutory environment that will focus specifically on an ICS that will coordinate and monitor the respond and management of an incident and its possible escalation at local government level. The proposed ICS model will also enhance intergovernmental, interorganizational and interagency focus, giving structure and ability to respond. The model is based on the principle of structure follow strategy that is imperative in a fast-changing environment such as local government. The research recommends that if the government wants to manage an incident, emergency or disaster effectively and efficiently, immediate attention must be given to the implementation of a multi-agency ICS for local government.