Home » Here Comes The Rain (Well, Some). Drought May Be Declared National Disaster.

Here Comes The Rain (Well, Some). Drought May Be Declared National Disaster.

While Capetonians awoke to a slightly overcast day, there is the promise that the latest Cold Front is going to start showering the region with much-welcomed rain later today, filling some of the Western Cape’s parched dams which have been drying up during its worst drought in recorded history. “Here comes thaaat Cape Town front […]

By SAPeople Contributor
09-02-18 12:49
in Eish!

While Capetonians awoke to a slightly overcast day, there is the promise that the latest Cold Front is going to start showering the region with much-welcomed rain later today, filling some of the Western Cape’s parched dams which have been drying up during its worst drought in recorded history. “Here comes thaaat Cape Town front we’ve all been talking about,” said Storm Report Live on Friday morning.

https://www.facebook.com/stormreportsa/photos/a.330964290416428.1073741828.330936263752564/850096771836508/?type=3

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) is predicting an 80% chance of rainfall, beginning late Friday and going into Saturday.

SAWS said “favourable falls of 20 mm can be expected in mountainous areas of the Cape Metropole, Overberg and Cape Winelands, otherwise 5-10 mm across the province.”

Drought could be declared national disaster by Valentine’s Day

Meanwhile efforts are underway to classify the drought in South Africa as a national disaster which would lay the ground for government to step in with financial and humanitarian aid.

Cooperative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen made the announcement at a briefing in Cape Town on Thursday. He said that the government has put plans in place to overcome the current water crisis – including early-warning systems, new boreholes, re-use optimisation, water restrictions and less usage by industries and crop farmers, desalination projects and demand management.

drought
Sir Lowry’s Pass on the left with Steenbras Upper Dam on the right… taken at midday Monday 5th Feb 2017

Cape Town is trying to avoid ‘Day Zero’ when taps will be turned off, and residents will need to collect their allotted 25 litres/day from collection points. The day was recently pushed back to 11 May after Grabouw farmers donated water from a dam to the municipal system.

Van Rooyen said: “Currently, efforts are underway to classify the drought as a national disaster. This process will be finalized on or before 14 February 2018.”

While national dam levels stood at 59.6% on Wednesday, Western Cape dam levels dipped to 23.7%.

The Minister also said that an amount of R74.8 million was given to the Western Cape Province in August 2017 to deal with the situation.

Government to look at reviewing license conditions of privately-owned dams

Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane said, meanwhile, that the department was looking at reviewing the licenses of privately-owned dams to ensure that water is prioritized for human consumption.

Out of a total of 5125 dams in South Africa, only 323 are owned by the department.

On Friday morning the DA issued a statement noting the “reckless comments” made by Mokonyane and her consultant on Wednesday, that “Day Zero will not happen”.

The DA is calling for all residents to consume less than 50 litres of water per day in order to #DefeatDayZero.

If the promised thunderstorms and rain do arrive, please take care – whether you’re walking, driving… or cycling! Watch the scene of a Cape Town storm last June:

https://www.facebook.com/stormreportsaOFFICIAL/videos/1427625210633475/

Today’s predictions:

Source: SANews, SAWS, DA