A 60% chance of rain has been forecast for the central parts of SA around the Free State, Northern parts of the Eastern Cape and eastern parts of the Northern Cape, while thundershower conditions can be expected for Bloemfontein, according to the South African Weather Service.
Fog patches and isolated showers could also be expected over parts of KwaZulu-Natal near Richards Bay, while Durban and surrounds will see some cloud cover but generally warm tropical conditions later in the day.
Over the weekend several areas in the eThekwini metro were affected, as the South African Weather Services estimated 126mm of rain fell in the Durban south and central areas and 92.8mm in Virginia.
South Africa remains in the grip of its worst drought in decades. South African Weather Service recently announced that 2015/2016 have been the driest years on record and it shows no sign of abating. Those records date back to 1904.
South Africa is expected to import R2 million worth of grains this year, in an effort to make up for the impact of the drought, which has resulted in shortfalls for crop farmers. The agricultural sector has lost R16 billion due to the drought and officially, 34-million South Africans are affected by the drought in one way or another.
Various organisations have been working tireously to assist with the drought. The goodwill from South Africans has been amazing. Everyone is rallying behind assisting the drought.
A group of volunteers started #OperationHydrate in response to calls for water from Senekal. The call for assistance drove everyone.
Operation Hydrate have assisted in distributing over 13 million litres of water and created more than 25 boreholes.
Agri SA has since played a major role in terms of drought relief assistance to farming communities. Various programmes were also organised in the Western Cape, Free State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, KZN and Northwest aimed at bringing relief to destitute communities these past months.
Agri SA has collected R14 million to subsidise or fund the following activities:
- 12 165 farmers in were assisted with fodder to keep some of their livestock alive.
- 8 657 farm workers and their families were assisted with food parcels.
- 39 729 bales of fodder of various sizes were donated or purchased and distributed.
- 26 580 bags of feed pellets were donated or purchased and distributed.
- 236 tonnes of mealie meal, food hampers were donated and distributed
- 200 000 liters of water were donated and distributed.
- 20 water tanks were donated and distributed.
- 532 trucks were used to transport fodder, food parcels and water.
- R14 million donated by the individuals and companies.
- 1274 donors donated money to the fund.
- 150 rural towns were targeted in 6 provinces.
To help Agri SA with the drought relief click here.
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