Cape Town - Friday's downpour did little to affect dam levels, University of Western Cape Professor Tyrone Pretorius warned at the sixth World Sustainability Forum held in the city this week.
“We need much more sustained rain in order to ensure we reach sustainable levels of water in our dams,” he said.
Cape Town was the first city in Africa to host the prominent forum which included some of the world’s leading minds on sustainability.
The gathering included researchers, government leaders, and poverty experts who tackled issues such as water shortages, sustainability, and renewable energy, water scarcity, waste management, mining, poverty reduction, climate change, and urbanisation.
South Africa has been hit by the worst drought in two decades. The Western Cape has been hit by fire devastation and water restrictions as dam water levels continue to plummet.
Collective dam levels had dropped to 39.9% this week.
Deputy vice-Chancellor: research and internationalisation at the University of Cape Town, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, said the forum provided the space for African academics to showcase their research which hardly makes international level due to lack of funding.
“Africa has got a lot to offer, we are located in a place with resources.
“We need to be doing high quality research that is competitive at the global market level, unique so that it draws on embeddedness in the African continent.”