Managing the aftermath
39
Disaster Risk
Assessment
for Cape Town
Cape Town is the commercial and
industrial hub of South Africa's
Western Cape, and a highly rated
tourism and business destination.
However, as with any urban area,
it faces various disaster risks which
if neglected, have the potential
to cause damage to property, the
environment and livelihoods.
Above and below
Cape Town faces various
disaster risks, including
the risk of fires.
Aurecon, in consultation with DMS
Consulting, was recently appointed
to conduct a Comprehensive
Disaster Risk Assessment for the
City of Cape Town's metropolitan
area. The Municipality wanted
its planning to reflect accurate
knowledge of all forms of disaster
risk and, to achieve this, two
parallel methodologies were used to
conduct the initial assessments.
This approach, a first of its kind for
South Africa, involved City-wide
scientific-assessment of conventional,
'textbook' risks, as well as communitybased assessments which focused on
determining 'perceived' risks.
When compared and contrasted, these
parallel streams of findings confirmed
that disaster risk assessment is a
continuous process of building our
understanding of risk reduction. The
outcomes of Aurecon's assessment
will ensure that the Municipality's
developmental initiatives and
contingency planning is based on
accurate information enabling all
stakeholders to contribute, minimising
disaster risk within the City.
…disaster risk
assessment is a
continuous process
of building our
understanding of
risk reduction.
Aurecon response to natural disasters
