Mr Anton Bredell, the Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning will request provincial Cabinet to declare a state of disaster in the Eden District at the Cabinet meeting taking place on Wednesday, 4 November 2009.
The coastal area of Eden including Mossel Bay George and Knysna are currently gripped by a 1:100 - 1:150 year drought, and dam levels are falling to dangerously low levels. Weather forecasts also indicate that the situation will only get worse in the next few months.
The province mobilised R53 million in national emergencies funding for the Mossel Bay, George and Knysna Municipalities to be utilised for emergency projects such as drilling of boreholes/treatment of effluent water. The province will be requesting more financial assistance.
Minister Bredell is sending a high-level delegation from the Provincial Disaster Management Centre to George on Friday to engage with the George and Knysna municipalities. He is requesting the municipalities to implement more drastic measures to reduce consumptions such as limiting the amount of consumption per household.
He is also requesting municipalities to fast track the implementation of emergency projects together with the assistance of national and provincial departments. The Provincial Disaster Management Centre together with Eden will be monitoring the implementation of emergency interventions and projects.
For more information please contact:
Heini Odendal
Cell: 084 510 3258
