Water and Sanitation Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu says her Department is working on long-lasting solutions to resolve the drought crisis in the Eastern Cape.
The Minister met with Eastern Cape Premier, Lubabalo Mabuyane in East London on Monday to discuss the Department's intervention after the province was declared a disaster area last October.
Minister Sisulu says several interventions have been made, including the drilling of boreholes.
But, she says more cost-effective and sustainable solutions are also needed.
She's urged the Eastern Cape to come up with more innovative ways of addressing the drought crisis.
Minister @LindiweSisuluSA addressing Media during the briefing on ways to respond to the worsening drought situation in the province of Eastern Cape. #dhws@DWS_RSA @SHRA_Online @LindiweSisuluSA @NHBRC @PamelaTshwete pic.twitter.com/dVxJpdXEK5
— Human Settlements (@The_DHS) January 6, 2020
The official 2019 rainfall figures are out and they do not paint a pretty picture for the western half of the Eastern Cape, with almost every station recording record low figures.
Garth Sampson of the PE Branch of the SA Weather Service says this area received an average of 57% of its annual total, with Makhanda worst off at 46%.
The Eastern half of the province faired much better, receiving 78% of its yearly total with Dooney the lowest at 53%.
Sampson says 2019 was also one of the worst in 120 years along the south coast and especially the Nelson Mandela Bay and surrounds.
The PE Airport recorded the 3rd lowest annual rainfall figure in history with 395 mm.
He says the outlook for the rest of the summer season looks bleak.
Picture: Lindiwe Sisulu
