I wear a headset, but I hear pain echoing from the line… mothers crying, fathers silent, hearts breaking in real- time. But I stay calm, because they need a voice with strength, then later I write — to give their grief some length.
Siya, how do you mentally prepare for the day?
Before I start work, I make sure I put all personal issues aside. I clear my mind to stay focused — because carrying stress or emotions into my shift can affect the quality of my response. Lives depend on us being present. Mental clarity and emotional control are key. My role requires intense concentration, calm under pressure, and empathy with every call.
Has Your Work Inspired Your Writing?
Yes, absolutely. Working in disaster management, we encounter grief, trauma, and human suffering daily. I often find myself writing about the pain of the communities we serve. I try to put myself in their shoes and express what they might be feeling.
From grief to hope, I translate raw human emotion into verses that resonate. My work gives a voice to those who feel unseen and unheard.
How do multi-task in the control room?
It comes with experience. I’ll be talking to a caller, logging the case, knowing in which area the calls come from, and updating responders — all in real time. It sounds overwhelming, but when you’re focused, it becomes like second nature. You just must stay one step ahead and keep your cool.
From the moment a call comes in I am ready. I collect vital information quickly, coordinate with the right emergency services, and ensure that the appropriate response teams are dispatched without delay. My voice must remain calm and reassuring, even when chaos unfolds on the other end of the line.
Finding that one good thing that allows you to be creative will help you more than you know. Whether it’s music, writing, drawing, or something else, combining it with your job in a healthy way can bring a lot of peace and positive energy.
Siya Mdiza.
The Street Poet.
Inside the high-pressure world of emergency call-taking, there is a quiet, creative force who has learned how to balance compassion, duty, and artistry. Siya Mdiza, fondly known as “The Street Poet”, is not just a call taker and dispatcher at the West Coast Disaster Management Centre— he’s a voice of empathy, a teller of truth, and a passionate poet with a powerful pen.
Siya’s commitment to learning and personal development is clear. His experience at the Disaster Management Centre has not only strengthened his crisis-handling skills, but also grown his leadership, communication, and teamwork abilities.
He is proof that resilience is not just about enduring hardship but about transforming it into something meaningful.
Franquin Welsch Petersen
Manager (Head of Centre): Disaster Management Centre.
