By Akani Nkuna
eThekwini Municipality says it is strengthening its climate-change preparedness and infrastructure resilience as the city faces escalating risks from heavy rain, storms, floods and coastal damage.
At the second Municipal Forum for Climate Change, held this week, Mayor Cyril Xaba said there was a need for coordinated climate governance, particularly at municipal level.
“Climate change is a present reality. As a municipality, we are enhancing our preparedness, strengthening infrastructure resilience, and mobilising partners to protect communities, safeguard essential services, and reduce climate-related risks,” he said.
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“By bringing together organised labour, business, civil society, traditional leadership and other stakeholders, we are ensuring that our climate response is inclusive, informed, and aligned with the principles of a just transition to a climate resilient and low carbon future,” he said.
The forum highlighted the municipality’s efforts to build a climate-resilient society while supporting economic growth and service delivery.
Key focus areas included water security, coastal protection, biodiversity, strengthened governance, enhanced funding and institutional capacity building.
Xaba said this approach aligned the municipality with global climate commitments.
The forum, launched in December 2025 at the Durban International Convention Centre, was established to respond to the escalating impacts of climate change, which have caused major environmental damage in KZN.
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At the launch, Xaba warned that climate change posed a “persistent and imminent threat”, after the 2022 floods in the province claimed 420 lives, displaced thousands of people and caused damage worth billions of rands.
“Scientific evidence shows that rainfall during this event was 30% higher due to climate change, and projections indicate this figure could double by 2050-2070. We must act now to prepare for these impacts,” said Xaba at the launch.
At Monday’s forum, stakeholders and experts held rigorous discussions on the importance of participatory processes to develop people-centred interventions that prioritise the most vulnerable communities.
“Global climate frameworks, municipal strategies, and community-level tools must work together to drive meaningful impact,” said the municipality.
