The Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane, will tomorrow, 14 October 2026 at the International Day for Disaster Reduction 2026 respond to a question: “how can we (government) ensure that the urgency to deliver houses does not compromise disaster risk considerations, particularly in communities exposed to floods, fires and other hazards?”.
 

Convened under the theme “Resilience starts at home: Building resilient communities through inclusive disaster risk reduction and climate action, Minister Simelane will be part of a panel deliberating on planning and safer communities. 
 

The 2026 IDDRR aims to raise global awareness of the centrality of the home in disaster risk reduction, advocate for stronger governance and investment in resilient housing, elevate the role of the private sector in reducing housing-related risk, and empower households, particularly those facing heightened vulnerability, to take risk informed action to protect themselves and strengthen community resilience.
Details are as follows:
Date: Tomorrow, 14 October 2026
Time: 14h30
Venue: Anew Resort White River, Mbombela

Enquiries: Tsekiso Machike, Spokesperson to the Minister on 077 410 5050 Tsekiso.machike@dhs.gov.za  

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements, Govan Mbeki House 240, Justice Mahomed Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria