The role of language as a catalyst in communicating early warning messages: a case study in Walmer Airport Valley informal settlement, Gqeberha, South Africa

Efficient disaster communication is crucial in multilingual and multicultural contexts such as South Africa, where linguistic obstacles and disparities in information dissemination can intensify community susceptibility during emergencies. Comprehending disaster-related communications is essential, especially for marginalised populations like Xhosa-speaking Walmer Airport Valley Gqeberha informal settlement residents. This study investigates the function of language in early warning systems and analyses options for improving disaster communication to guarantee clarity, accessibility, and cultural relevance at Walmer Airport Valley, with a particular emphasis on the efficacy of multilingual communication. A quantitative survey was administered to 300 participants from the Xhosa-speaking community in Walmer Airport Valley from 5 July to August 25, 2024. Descriptive and inferential statistics, encompassing chi-square tests, regression analysis, and ANOVA, were employed to examine the correlations among demographics, trust in communication channels, and message clarity. The research indicated that 90 % of participants comprehended disaster concepts; however, only 85.4 % encountered early warning messages. Although 86 % of individuals own mobile phones, only 30 % received early warnings through this medium. Community radio was the most reliable medium, with a trust level of 88 %. The relationship between message clarity and education level was strong, with a Chi-square value of 96.282 (p < 0.001). In contrast, the relationship between the work position and trust in communication demonstrated an even stronger correlation with a Chi-square value of 114.527 (p < 0.001). The regression analysis showed that message clarity powerfully affected message efficacy since the regression coefficient was 0.489 (p < 0.001). These research outcomes show that disaster communication needs clear, organised messaging that suits cultural variations and a better mobile network infrastructure to maximise its success rate. The research delivers crucial findings regarding how to combine customised communications with language-based accessibility services to reduce disaster risks. The article provides useful guidance for enhancing the preparedness and response capabilities of communities under threat.