Drought to be declared a national disaster
Co-operative governance minister, Des van Rooyen, says the country has still not recovered from the 2014 drought with the Western Cape being the hardest hit.
He says the average dam levels in all nine provinces are still low.
He's been addressing media in parliament this afternoon on the country's water situation.
"The situation is deteriorating. As of the 7th of February, 2018 - Eastern Cape recorded 60.7%, Gauteng 94.6%, KwaZulu-Natal 52.6%, Northern Cape 76.2%, Limpopo 65.3%, Western Cape coming at the lowest at 23.7%," he says.
#drought #vanrooyen Our country still remains gripped by the drought situation with all the Cape Provinces (Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape) currently declared disaster areas and some parts of the KwaZulu Natal and Free State!
— NationalCoGTA (@NationalCoGTA) February 8, 2018
The minister says the drought could be declared a national disaster on or before 14 February 2018.
Following the declaration - he says directives will then be put in place by the ministerial team so to implement measures country-wide to mitigate the situation.
#vanrooyen The @DWS_RSA will continue to monitor the levels of the 214 major dams, as this information is critical in understanding the situation around availability of water in the systems #drought
— NationalCoGTA (@NationalCoGTA) February 8, 2018
#vanrooyen Currently, efforts are underway to classify the #drought as a national disaster. This process will be finalized on or before 14 February 2018! #SaveWater
— NationalCoGTA (@NationalCoGTA) February 8, 2018