Cape Town - The drought has broken over large parts of South Africa, it is claimed.
Agricultural meteorologist Johan van den Berg, who specialises in crop insurance at Santam, said although drought conditions were serious and still remained in parts of the Western Cape, it had largely broken.
“It’s possible the Gariep, Vaal, Bloemhof and some other dams may have full storage capacity in the next weeks. (However) the water situation in the Western Cape remains very serious.
“It’s still too early for any reliable (rain) forecasts for coming months and the next season, and the best indication is for neutral conditions to continue."
Van den Berg said the period from March to July was volatile in terms of rapid changes in sea surface temperatures, which could affect rainfall.
Meanwhile, projects around the Western Cape, such as project Waterdrop, which took place on Saturday, are still in place to ensure that vulnerable individuals receive adequate water supply should Day Zero be reached.
Close to 30 000 people joined Jacaranda FM on Saturday and supported project Waterdrop during the Super Rugby clash between the Vodacom Blue Bulls and the DHL Stormers, to raise funds for installing boreholes with solar pumps at schools. The cost per borehole is about R50 000.
“We will provide water to two schools, Ocean View Education for Learners with Special Needs and Kleinberg Primary,” said Jacaranda FM’s Kevin Fine.
Those who would like to find out more can visit www.jacarandafm.com for more information.
@TheCapeArgus