Minister denies delays in tackling drought
The Inter-Ministerial Committee tasked with dealing with the drought situation has denied it took long to respond to the water crisis in the country.
KwaZulu-Natal - along with the Free State, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga - have been declared disaster areas.
Briefing the media in Pretoria, Water Minister Nomvula Mokonyane said the drought currently affects 173 of the 1628 water supply schemes nationally which serve 18% of the population.
Mokonyane says South Africa is a naturally dry country.
"We're regarded as I've said earlier, the 30th driest country in the world, with an annual average rainfall of 464mm as compared to a global average of 860mm," she said.
Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa says South Africa has also been affected by the El Nino weather pattern.
"It is also likely to last for the summer season. The summer season may end at round about March/April next year," she said.
(File photo)