Following a persistent drought spell in South Africa, dam levels in some parts of the country have begun to improve as a result of current rains, the Ministry of Water and Sanitation announced on Thursday.
“Dam water levels rose by 1% week-on-week, while an average national level is at 60.2% – an improvement from 59.2% the previous week,” the ministry said.
It said this week it recorded that rainfall in Gauteng Province had increased dam levels to 101.2%, followed by the Northern Cape Province at 77.5%, while the troubled Northern Cape Province remained “a drought disaster”.
“Hydrologically, Gauteng Province’s and Northern Cape Province’s dams fill up quicker since they have fewer, smaller dams that are filled by the slightest rain,” the ministry noted.
Dam levels in Mpumalanga Province increased to 73.3%, followed by the Free State Province at 67.7%.
The dam levels in the North West Province increased to 61%, while those in KwaZulu-Natal Province rose to 54.3% from 53.4% last week, it said.
Dam levels in the northern Limpopo Province have improved from just below 50% two months ago to 58.5% this week, the ministry said.
“The Eastern Cape Province and parts of the Northern Cape Province are reeling, and are among the worst provinces that are experiencing extremely dry conditions,” it added.
On her part, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu encouraged South Africans to use water sparingly, despite the improvement in dam levels as some communities were still experiencing drought.
NM/jn/APA