SA facing severe water crisis‚ says minister
Source: sowetanlive
Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane warned on Sunday that South Africa is facing a severe water crisis and that the department might have to reduce water supplies if the drought affecting large parts of the country continues.
She said that 2.7-million households – about 18% of the population — were affected by the drought.
A total of 6‚500 rural communities‚ mainly in Kwazulu-Natal‚ Mpumalanga and North West faced critical water shortages.
Mokonyane added that Kwazulu-Natal in particular was facing of its driest periods on record.
She said Gauteng’s water security was not at risk yet‚ although water restrictions in parts of the province were likely to continue.
She recommended that the city of Johannesburg – the country’s financial hub – introduce water restrictions similar to those implemented in the nation’s capital Tshwane.