Page 30 - Research Report 2025.1

Displacement and Increased Vulnerability of Marginalised Groups
Participant 1 emphasised the severe impact of disasters on the most vulnerable groups, particularly the poorest households in the Ntabankulu region. Participant 1 highlighted that marginalised groups, especially women, face heightened challenges during such events, as they are often the primary caregivers responsible for finding shelter and food for their families.
Participant 1
“It is a when it hits the poorest of the poor like, the people of Ntabankulu. Yes. It means they are more vulnerable because they become displaced. They don’t have homes.
Especially, the vulnerable groups like women. It’s women who have to fend for a place for their child to go and sleep in. It’s women who have to look for food for the children.”
SOME KEY IMPLICATIONS
The analysis of the results highlights several critical implications for public policy, disaster preparedness, and rural development strategies in the Alfred Nzo District. The recurring theme of displacement, loss of livelihoods, food insecurity, and infrastructure damage suggests deep vulnerabilities within the region, particularly among marginalised groups such as women, subsistence farmers and low-income households. The following key implications can be drawn from the data:
1. Heightened Vulnerability of Marginalised Groups, Particularly Women
Disasters disproportionately affect marginalised groups, especially women, who bear the brunt of caregiving responsibilities during crises. Participant 1’s comments point to women’s critical role in securing food and shelter when disasters displace families. This gendered impact necessitates the implementation of gender-sensitive disaster management strategies that recognize the unique challenges women face and prioritize their protection and empowerment during disaster response efforts.
2. Erosion of Household Financial Stability Due to Loss of Breadwinners
The COVID-19 pandemic has had lasting effects on household financial stability, as families lost breadwinners to the disease, further exacerbating the economic vulnerabilities of rural communities. Participant 2’s insights underline the fragility of rural economies that rely heavily on informal businesses and small-scale agriculture. This calls for policies that enhance social safety nets and ensure that communities can withstand the economic shocks caused by pandemics or other major crises.
3. Increased Food Insecurity from Agricultural Disruptions
Extreme weather events, such as floods and hailstorms, have a devastating impact on food production. The comments from participants, including those about the loss of crops and livestock, emphasise the fragility of food systems in rural areas. There is an urgent need to invest in climate-resilient agriculture that can withstand extreme weather events and to provide farmers with the tools and resources to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Such measures are crucial to ensuring food security and economic stability for households that depend on agriculture.
4. Infrastructure Damage and the Cyclical Nature of Vulnerability
The destruction of key infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, during floods isolates communities, cutting them off from essential services like health care, education, and markets. The results underscore the importance of developing resilient infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events. The broader impact of infrastructure damage is compounded by a reliance on temporary solutions, such as shelters, rather than permanent flood-resistant homes. This highlights the need for long-term investments in infrastructure planning to break the cycle of vulnerability and disaster recovery.
5. Institutional Challenges and Redirection of Development Funds
One of the most significant findings relates to the diversion of funds meant for development to disaster response efforts.The comment by Participant from the focus group interview underscores the challenge rural municipalities face in balancing immediate disaster relief with long-term development projects. The frequent redirection of resources hinders progress on essential infrastructure, education, and healthcare projects, trapping the community in a cycle of underdevelopment and vulnerability. This suggests a need for dedicated disaster preparedness funding, alongside development budgets, to ensure that resources are not continually reallocated from essential services to disaster recovery.
6. Inadequate Local Disaster Response Capacity
The district’s reliance on external support from neighboring provinces, as highlighted by the comments on drownings and the lack of divers, underscores the gaps in local disaster response infrastructure. Strengthening local capacity to respond to emergencies through training, resource allocation, and planning is critical to improving the district’s ability to manage disasters independently and in a timely manner. This also suggests a broader need for coordinated disaster preparedness programs that involve local communities and provide the necessary tools for rapid response.
28 | STUDY OBJECTIVE II