A staggering amount of R54 million has been given to the Eden District Municipality in the Southern Cape by the National Treasury for drought relief after the region was declared a disaster zone by the National Disaster Management Centre in Pretoria.

The area has been hit by its worst drought in over a century. Local Government spokesperson in the Western Cape, Heini Odendal, says the Eden district, which consists of Plettenberg Bay, Mossel Bay, George and Knysna will now benefit from the money from National Treasury.

The South African Weather Service projections show that many parts of the country will be hit by drought in the coming agricultural season, which could affect food production. Chief scientist at the SA Weather Service Willem Landman says well-below average rainfall should be expected in the three months to March, the most important period for the production of summer grains such as maize, sunflower and soya.

The projections also indicate that other countries in Southern Africa will also be affected by a clearly developing El Niño system that leads to sharp decreases in rainfall.