Decentralisation of disaster management in South Africa: A multi-sphere disaster governance perspective

The decentralisation approach is widely recognised as an effective way to mitigate disaster impacts, especially in South Africa, because local governments are closest to communities and can respond more quickly than central authorities. Chapter 1 defines the dissertation’s scope, linking decentralisation literature with disaster management and multi sphere governance, and poses the central research question: What factors shape the decentralisation of disaster management to South African municipalities, and what are their implications for multi sphere governance? Chapters 2 5 outline the methodology and findings. An interpretivist, multi method qualitative design—combining semi structured interviews, case studies, observations, and document analysis—captures both granular operational details and broader systemic effects. Chapter 2 reveals that, despite extensive policy support, practical challenges and ambiguous interpretations of “readiness” hinder collaboration when political administrative buy in is weak. Chapter 3 shows a gap between the legislative call for integrated disaster risk management and the marginalisation of local communities in practice, underscoring the need for a strong political administrative interface. Chapter 4 highlights the difficulty of coordinating previously unacquainted stakeholders; without clear mandates, duplication or gaps in service occur, as illustrated by the 2022 KZN floods. Chapter 5, using interpretative phenomenological analysis, identifies a “pocket of excellence” where community development workers effectively bridge government and residents, demonstrating successful decentralised capacity building. Chapter 6 situates these findings within the academic debate, arguing that an interpretive lens reveals the dynamic, negotiated nature of decentralisation across government spheres, exposing differing priorities and power relations. Finally, Chapter 7 offers concrete recommendations for South African local governments: establish robust infrastructure, staffing, and technology for disaster centres; nurture both formal inter governmental networks and informal community support; and sustain horizontal and vertical collaborations to build resilient, multi stakeholder disaster governance.