As South Africa starts to feel some relief from the grips of the global recession, the Eastern Cape is being hit by a severe drought, and according to the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa), relief is not yet in sight.
As South Africa starts to feel some relief from the grips of the global recession, the Eastern Cape is being hit by a severe drought, and according to the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa), relief is not yet in sight.
The province was officially declared a disaster area early last year by the minister of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Buyelwa Sonjica, due to increases in water shortages and decreases in rainfall.
Scientific predictions are that dry periods will become more frequent due to climate change, particularly in the West.
Local district municipalities including OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo, Amathole and Cacadu have been the most affected by the situation that has prompted the government to put relief plans into action. However, the Eastern Cape is not the only province experiencing watershortages.
Evidence of drought patterns in the Western Cape were also evident on satellite images back in 2003. The images collected by the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Institute showed a large area of the region losing large amounts of natural vegetation due to a rise in temperatures and decreased rainfalls similar to the trends in the Eastern Cape.
Dr Peter Johnston of the Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG), guest speaker at the 2009 Amathole District Municipality climate change summit said studies predicted that in the next few years "there will be a warming trend with less winter rainfall and more late summer rain in the Eastern parts of the country."
Johnston also said that the trend will mostly affect the inland parts of the country and would be less severe in coastal areas.
The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) in conjunction with Wessa has introduced the “War on Hunger” initiative in rural parts of the province which mainly focuses on rainwater harvesting as a means of irrigation.
"The water mainly comes from the ground and street pavements and is channelled into vegetable gardens where it is sucked into the ground via trenches.
The recent rainfall in the province is much appreciated and will help improve soil moisture and crop growth but I understand that dam levels are still low (in the province) and more rains are needed,” said Dr Steven Knight-Lenihan, a scientist working with Wessa.
According to Mnikeli Ndabambi, senior manager of forecasting with South African Weather services, the Eastern Cape had received below average rainfall at the end of 2009.
“The small western edge of the province did receive normal to above-normal rainfall and central part of the province extending to the coast received below normal rainfall and relief was unlikely,” said Ndabambi.
