The solution is being provided by Government's planning for education, for the enforcement of wise legislation, for giving people viable choices and through partnerships. In looking at disaster management, we must also consider possible global influences. We recall the threat of El Nino two years ago, the sea temperature phenomenon that threatened drought in our part of the world. Although the disaster did not materialise, the decision to invest against risk was amongst the kinds of difficult decisions we will continue to have to make. The crucial decision is always the extent to which we commit scarce resources to countering a perceived threat, and to what extent we accept a level of risk.
Individuals have choices too.
The recent fires that swept through the Western Cape showed that many property-owners were either ignorant of the risks they faced, or were prepared to take the risks. For some time now, government has focused its concern on the problems caused by alien vegetation, often in the face of great opposition from property owners and sections of the public. Perhaps the lesson has now been learnt. We need to clear all invading alien plants. We are investigating how those fire-breaks were organized and maintained in the Cape Peninsula.