The Western Cape Provincial Cabinet is set to convene today to determine whether to declare the Knysna municipality a provincial disaster area, as the region faces an imminent “Day Zero” with just one week of usable water remaining.
The crisis has escalated after the Knysna Municipality declared a local disaster. The town’s primary water source, the Akkerkloof Dam, stands at a perilous 18 percent capacity and is steadily declining.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, leading a high-level delegation, visited the dam site to assess the situation. He emphasized the severe strain on the community, stating, “Knysna’s water supplies are running dangerously low, placing residents, businesses, and essential services under growing pressure.”
Premier Winde outlined the dual responsibility required to navigate the crisis. He detailed ongoing efforts to bring boreholes online and reduce system usage but stressed the critical role of public cooperation. “50 liters a day per person. That’s, you know, you’ve got to work at that… You need the responsibility of citizens and businesses to say we are going to use less water. We’ll play our part. But government has to play their part. You got to make sure you fix the leaks. You got to have a plan, a credible plan.”
Authorities are accelerating contingency measures, including refurbishing boreholes and deploying water tankers. They are being joined by humanitarian efforts, with the Gift of the Givers organization stepping in to distribute water tanks to vulnerable communities ahead of Day Zero.
A spokesperson for Gift of the Givers explained the strategic distribution, stating, “It’s getting delivered to the hospitals, the clinics, the SAPS, the dog units, the old age homes, the more vulnerable at this stage, the correctional services. We’re working very close together with disaster management in determining where these tanks need to go. The additional ones will be placed strategically throughout town for the community to be able to have access to water during Day Zero.”
For many residents, the hardship is already a daily reality. Members of the community living near the municipal dump report that their access to water remains highly unpredictable, underscoring the inequality of impact as resources dwindle.
With the countdown to Day Zero now measured in single digits, officials continue their urgent appeal for residents to slash water consumption. The provincial cabinet’s decision today will determine the level of emergency resources mobilized to avert a total collapse of Knysna’s water supply.