Drought declared a national disaster
13 March 2018
Cape Town - Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Zweli Mkhize has declared the prevailing water crisis affecting multiple provinces a national state of disaster.
Mkhize, on behalf of the inter-ministerial task team on water, told the media in Parliament on Tuesday that his decision was gazetted as at 10:00 this morning.
Government previously reclassified the water crisis as a national disaster on February 8.
However, this was different to a declaration. Government can now access special funds through Treasury reserved for national disasters.