UN South Africa Newsletter, December 2019

In 2019, we undertook numerous other activities, including programmes targeted at improving the well-being of our staff. The year was marred by the violent xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals as well as the regular flooding that occurred in various parts of the country. The xenophobic attacks thrust South Africa into the spotlight with much of the world’s media focussing on these events. This painful period highlighted some the fault lines of South Africa’s story. The work of the UN in the country has been focused on finding both immediate and longer term solutions to this national problem. Our UNCT has spent a considerable amount of time engaging with communities and key national stakeholders on this issue.

Our region, Southern Africa, has been affected by major floods over the course of 2019 and South Africa has not been spared. The effects of these floods have been most severely felt by poor communities. The UN has worked closely with the local governments of eThekwini and Port St Johns to provide emergency relief to communities that were devastated by floods in April. In December, the UN provided support to communities affected by flooding in the township of Mamelodi, Pretoria. The flooding disasters are becoming a much more frequent occurrence, which requires the UNCTs in the region to find ways of working closer together to respond to climate change and its effects. In this regard, we must be the catalyst that brings our respective governments in the region together in finding solutions. As the effects of climate change become more acute, this area of our work will become even more urgent and important. This communication highlights just a few of the key events and programmes undertaken in 2019, and is by no means exhaustive.