Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002)Chapter 3 : National Disaster ManagementPart 2 : Powers and duties of national government26. Responsibilities in event of national disaster |
| (1) | The national executive is primarily responsible for the co-ordination and management of national disasters irrespective of whether a national state of disaster has been declared in terms of section 27. |
| (2) | The national executive must deal with a national disaster— |
| (a) | in terms of existing legislation and contingency arrangements, if a national state of disaster has not been declared in terms of section 37(1); or |
| (b) | in terms of existing legislation and contingency arrangements as augmented by regulations or directions made or issued in terms of section 27(2) if a national state of disaster has been declared. |
| (3) | This section does not preclude a provincial or municipal organ of state from providing assistance to the national executive to deal with a national disaster and its consequences, and the national executive, in exercising its primary responsibility, must act in close co-operation with the other spheres of government. |