NATIONAL NEWS - In a statement at the beginning of the year, the Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation said it is working with the affected provinces, municipalities, other national departments as well as the private sector to alleviate the drought problem.
A number of initiatives are being implemented which will take some time to turn the situation around.
“It is important to note that the current situation follows on the national and regional drought that began in 2014, and which saw a great deal of RSA impacted upon negatively.
“Even though since late 2017 into 2018 there has been some recovery in large parts of the country, this natural act/phenomenon will take even longer to turn around due to the fact that in the 2018 and 2019 summer rainfall periods, the country experienced late rains and high temperatures leading to high evaporation rates and very little recharge of the country’s water sources.
“These are but some of the impacts of climate change which are a reality,” said the department.
Minister Lindiwe Sisulu tackles drought relief in the Northern Province
The Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu, will visit Kimberley on Thursday, 9 January, to address water and sanitation challenges experienced in the province.
The Northern Cape Province is experiencing water challenges with some parts of the province hit by effects of the drought, causing strain in communities. Subsequently, the Department of Water and Sanitation has come up with short, medium and long-term interventions and set aside funds to bring relief to the affected communities.
Minister Sisulu and Deputy Minister Pamela Tshwete met the Eastern Cape Executive Council on Monday, 6 January, to discuss plans to mitigate the on-going drought in the province.
Measures that will be used to address the drought in the province include the drilling of boreholes, desalination and a long-term solution of de-silting.
The department will also look at the installation of a pipeline that will take water from Tsomo River to a water treatment plant in Ngqamakhwe, and finally move water to Butterworth.
“The department is looking at working together with the province and municipalities as a collective to find resolutions to the ongoing drought. We also met with Amatola Water to extend their mandate to address the lack of capacity in municipalities,” said Minister Sisulu.
For a more in-depth rainfall update, visit WeatherSA. For more information on the water storage levels across the country, visit the DWS site.
