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The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) has officially opened a state-of-the-art R44 million Provincial Disaster Management Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg.
 
MEC for the Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) Mr Jacob Mamabolo and counterpart MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Mr Uhuru Moiloa today, the 2nd of June 2019, opened the doors to the facility, which will be the coordination centre for the province’s disaster management.
 
“Today we are launching, not only a building, but a legacy. A legacy born out of necessity, a vision and the commitment created by the current administration of the Province,” said MEC Moiloa.
 
The modern facility will house a Hydronet from the South African Weather Services, which enables live access and monitoring of weather information including access to weather stations, rain maps, the weather forecast, and the seasonal forecast.
 
“The centre is designed to enable the province to fulfil its legislative mandate and support disaster management stakeholders, including municipalities,” said Moiloa.
The DID bought the building, on behalf of COGTA in 2016 and modernised it, using the latest green technology, to make it adaptable to different weather. It is equipped with a backup generator and is fitted with motion detecting, LED lights.
 
The building will also house disaster operation centre with monitors that allow COGTA to have a full view of activities that take place during disasters.
 
MEC Mamabolo said that the refurbishment of the building into a Disaster Management Centre was done in accordance with legislation.
 
“We are confident that this modern building will help our communities according to the laws and regulations of a provincial centre. We are pleased as the department that in the past three months that we have been rolling out massive infrastructure,” said Mamabolo.
 
Mamabolo said that it took coordination and deliberate interventions for DID to deliver an unprecedented amount of “productive assets” to communities.
 
“It was a long process of putting up processes and investing in smart technology and our very own built industry professionals, that the state is able to deliver at the rate at which we are delivering.
 
“As part of prolonging the life of this facility, we are pleading with the user of this building to begin its maintenance programme, starting from today,” said Mamabolo.
 
 

Issued by Gauteng Provincial Government