ALAN WINDE | Storms left Western Cape battered but unbowed

The Western Cape’s extraordinary disaster management network did not emerge overnight. It is the result of years of careful, steady and assiduous investment by our government into building a world-class system capable of protecting our residents when they need it most. In the days after the recent storms, I undertook an assessment of several regions hardest hit by the severe weather.

Every area I visited was a microcosm of the broader devastation wrought by the storms. As overwhelming as the destruction is, comfort is offered by the remarkable people in our disaster management network as well as ordinary residents who thought little of stepping in to help.

In every community I witnessed the values that we cherish reflected in how residents helped one another, whether it was a school that accommodated several health-care workers who had become stranded by flooding or farmers offering their equipment to help restore electricity.

Today our provincial disaster management centre stands as one of the finest of its kind anywhere in the world, the envy of the rest of the country. But its global reputation is not built on infrastructure or technology alone. It is given life and meaning by the extraordinary women and men who dedicate themselves to watching over the wellbeing of this province every single day.

From the air, the devastation from the recent severe weather that affected entire swathes of the Western Cape is vast. The need is immense

They are the heart and soul of this network.

Behind every co-ordinated rescue effort, every road reopened, every family assisted and every emergency response mobilised, are people who sacrificed their own comfort and safety in service of others. Often working quietly and without recognition, they carry the enormous responsibility of responding to disasters that are becoming more frequent, more severe and increasingly destructive.

From the air, the devastation from the recent severe weather that affected entire swathes of the Western Cape is vast. The need is immense.

Around 150,000 people were affected; 400 roads were damaged, destroyed or closed; critical services were paralysed; entire communities were cut off; and, most tragically, 12 people were killed.

It will likely take months for critical sectors such as agriculture to overcome the devastation.

But what fills me with hope is that our disaster management teams did not wait for conditions to improve before acting. Even as the rain pelted down and the winds roared their destruction, they jumped into action and moved swiftly to protect lives.

We have been here before. We will get through this disaster together

That is courage. That is public service. That is the Western Cape spirit in action.

Our provincial disaster management centre is strengthened even further through powerful partnerships with municipalities, emergency services, volunteers, humanitarian organisations, engineers, law enforcement agencies, health workers and countless community organisations who stand shoulder to shoulder in times of crisis. This collective effort is what makes our response capacity truly exceptional.

To every person who forms part of this disaster management network: thank you.

Thank you for the long hours, the sleepless nights, the difficult decisions and the unwavering commitment to our residents. You are the reason why the people of the Western Cape can face uncertainty knowing that there is a capable, compassionate and highly skilled network standing behind them.

While our work is far from over — until every damaged road is rebuilt, every affected resident supported and every community restored — we must also turn our attention to rebuilding local economies that now face additional hardship in the aftermath of these disasters.

We have been here before. We will get through this disaster together.

The Western Cape has shown time and again that when adversity strikes, we do not stand still. We respond and work together.

That is the strength of our people. That is the strength of our disaster management network. And that is the strength of the Western Cape.

• Winde is premier of the Western Cape