By Moses Magadza

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality has called for deeper cooperation with Sweden in disaster preparedness, climate resilience, sustainable human settlements and support for communities vulnerable to climate-related shocks.

Dr Vusi Mazibuko, the Executive Director, made the call while welcoming Sweden’s Ambassador to South Africa, Her Excellency Anna-Karin Eneström, and her delegation to the local authority.

Ambassador Eneström was accompanied by SADC Parliamentary Forum Secretary General Her Excellency Boemo Sekgoma, as well as officials from the Embassy of Sweden and the SADC PF.

Speaking on behalf of the City Manager and the political leadership of eThekwini, Dr Mazibuko described the visit as an opportunity to move beyond diplomatic exchanges and begin identifying practical areas of collaboration.

“We sincerely appreciate your presence and your interest in engaging with us on matters relating to disaster management, climate resilience and the well-being of communities affected by climate-related shocks,” he said.

Dr Mazibuko began by acknowledging the longstanding relationship between Sweden and South Africa, recalling Sweden’s support for the country’s liberation struggle.

“South Africa and Sweden have a very long and healthy history which we have shared over the years – not just after we attained our democracy, but long before,” he said.

“We want to appreciate and honour the historic relations that we have shared while looking forward to the future as we build our countries and our cities.”

He said eThekwini’s experience of repeated floods and other extreme weather events had demonstrated that climate change could no longer be treated as a distant threat.

Over recent years, climate-related disasters have damaged infrastructure and human settlements, disrupted livelihoods and placed severe pressure on municipal services.

“Climate change is no longer an issue of the future,” he said. “It is a present governance, development and humanitarian challenge which requires us, as cities and communities, to strengthen our capacity to prepare, respond and build resilience.”

He explained that the engagement had three main objectives.

The first was to share eThekwini’s experiences and institutional responses to climate-related disasters, including the work undertaken by its disaster-management unit and other municipal departments to assist affected communities and coordinate emergency response and recovery.

The second was to promote knowledge exchange and institutional learning between the municipality, Sweden and other participating partners.

“Cities across the world are confronting similar challenges. Partnerships with international stakeholders provide valuable opportunities to exchange good practices, strengthen institutional capacity and identify innovative approaches to resilience,” he said.

The third objective was to explore potential areas of future collaboration, particularly in disaster preparedness, climate resilience, sustainable human settlements, social development and assistance to vulnerable communities.

The programme was structured to combine technical discussions with a visit to Cornubia, where the municipality has resettled some families displaced by the devastating floods of 2022.

Municipal officials made a three-part presentation covering disaster preparedness and early-warning systems, the effects of climate emergencies on primary healthcare and sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the provision of temporary and permanent accommodation for displaced families.

The subsequent visit to Cornubia allowed the Swedish delegation to see the realities experienced by affected communities and the interventions undertaken by the municipality.

He said engagements of this nature were valuable because they brought together political and administrative leadership, technical specialists, international partners and communities around challenges that directly affected residents.

“We welcome the opportunity to learn from one another and to strengthen relationships that can contribute to practical and sustainable outcomes for our city,” he said.

He expressed hope that the engagement would establish “a strong foundation for continued dialogue and collaboration” between eThekwini, Sweden, the SADC PF and other partners working to strengthen climate resilience and protect vulnerable communities.

Speaking at the same occasion, Sweden’s Ambassador to South Africa, Her Excellency Anna-Karin Eneström, called for stronger international and local cooperation to confront climate change, warning that its effects transcend national boundaries.

Ambassador Eneström made the call during a visit to the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality as part of Sweden on the Road, an Embassy initiative designed to deepen engagement with universities, public institutions, communities, young people and other stakeholders across South Africa.

The visit followed a dialogue at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where climate change and its implications for human rights, health, gender equality and community resilience featured prominently.

Ambassador Eneström said both Europe and southern Africa were experiencing the consequences of a changing climate, albeit in different forms.

“Climate change knows no borders,” she said, noting that KwaZulu-Natal had experienced devastating floods while Europe had recorded exceptionally high temperatures.

“We need to collaborate. We need to work together, both in the international arena to make all countries act on climate change, and through bilateral exchanges and collaboration, as we are doing today.”

She welcomed the opportunity for her delegation to move beyond formal discussions and witness how climate-related disasters were affecting communities in eThekwini.

“It is extremely good that we are talking together here in this hall, but we are also going to see the effects in the community,” she said.

Municipal officials briefed the delegation on eThekwini’s experience of floods and other climate-related disasters, its early-warning and emergency-response systems, interruptions to healthcare and sexual and reproductive health services, and efforts to provide permanent housing for displaced families.

The delegation later visited Cornubia, where the municipality has resettled some families displaced by the 2022 floods.

Ambassador Eneström said the visit demonstrated the importance of linking international climate commitments to practical measures that protect people and strengthen resilience at the local level.

“We need to take strong action on climate change,” she said, urging countries to work together ahead of the forthcoming global climate negotiations.

“We need to be strong together to convince those who are still hesitating.”

The Ambassador also reflected on the longstanding relationship between Sweden and South Africa and recalled Sweden’s solidarity with South Africans during the struggle against apartheid.

“Sweden stood by the people of South Africa in their fight for freedom, human rights and human dignity, and we did so with the entire Swedish population behind us,” she said.

That historical relationship, she added, had created a strong foundation for modern cooperation based on trade and shared commitments to multilateralism, international law, human rights, human dignity, gender equality and climate action.

Ambassador Eneström expressed appreciation to eThekwini officials for sharing both the beauty of Durban and KwaZulu-Natal and the formidable challenges confronting their communities.

“We are very grateful that you will bring us along and allow us to see some of those challenges,” she said.

• Moses Magadza is the Media and Communications Manager at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.