Source: Western Cape Provincial Government
Title: Dowry: Drought in Western Cape
STATEMENT BY COBUS DOWRY, MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RESPONSIBLE FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN THE WESTERN CAPE, ON THE DROUGHT IN WESTERN CAPE
PROVINCE BUSY WITH ESTIMATE - MEETING WITH ROLE-PLAYERS
The Western Cape has experienced recent challenges for the people and communities of the Western Cape with regards to disaster management. Recent drought conditions were added to these challenges and there is a firm responsibility on both local and provincial government to be prepared and to assist where required.
Certain areas in the Western Cape, as in the rest of the country are experiencing varying levels of drought for which assistance is urgently required. To this effect the national government has committed itself to make emergency funding available within its National Emergency Drought Mitigation Implementation Plan. It is also within this plan that the President is expected to declare a state of national disaster in affected areas.
The national government is currently engaged in a process to determine the extent of the drought and the Western Cape has been included in the assessment. Apart from this the Provincial Government of the Western Cape is also busy with a process that will enable us to get an accurate and precise estimate of the drought situation in the Western Cape.
My department has requested information from the national Department of Water Affairs and Forestry as well as the provincial departments of Agriculture and Social Services. This information will be supplied to the national Department of Provincial and Local Government later this week. To obtain detailed and specific information this department will host a meeting on 2 February 2004 with all role-players, including government departments as well as all the district municipalities and the City of Cape Town.
Preliminary indications are that we are not experiencing a hydrological drought in the Western Cape, as there is not a significant reduction in water resources, but rather an agricultural drought as there is a possible reduction in crops and in livestock, which could have severe socio-economic consequences for the agricultural community.
The Provincial Government of the Western Cape, as part of our commitment to disaster management in the Western Cape, will do everything possible to alleviate the plight of those affected by the severe drought. Disaster management in the Western Cape is managed and co-ordinated by the Department of Local Government and as was the case in the last year with the challenges we had to face, we will not shirk in our duty to assist where needed and bring relief where required.
Enquiries:
Jan Bosman
083 775 5312
Issued by: Department of Local Government, Western Cape Provincial Government
12 January 2004
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