MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Don’t Worry PE, This Warning is NOT for You

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The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has warned South Africans to exercise extreme caution when in or making use of dams and rivers.

This follows recent rains and increasing levels in the country’s dams.

In December, SAMSA embarked on a nationwide safety campaign to highlight awareness on the current Boating Regulations and general safety measures in the waterways.

As part of the campaign, SAMSA reminds South Africans to exercise caution when using the waterways until such time that the water capacity stabilises to safer levels.

The authority reminded the boating community and all South Africans to be aware of the safety regulations that apply to waterways. These include a licensed boat/jet-ski, life jackets on the boat for everyone onboard, not to drink alcohol while operating a boat/jet-ski, and possession of a skipper licence.

It is predicted that in Upington, water levels in the lower Orange River could reach a height of up to 7.9 meters, with a flood peak of 5 300m3/s expected on Friday.

In the Vaal and Orange River catchment, the Vaal Dam is currently 100 percent full and the outflow has been reduced to 780m3/s. Seven flood gates are now open, and will remain so for the next two days.

Gariep Dam has an outflow of 2 000m3/s and the dam is 115 percent full. The dam is expected to return to a capacity of 100 percent in just over a week.

Editors Notes: Now, if National Government had moved their collective fat behinds and considered the Nelson Mandela Metro’s water CRISIS (Yes, Roland the current drought is a CRISIS and not a concern or a blip or whatever you want to call the cash CRISIS!) plight timeously then we could have been receiving and utilising all this bountiful water down here in our neck of the woods and maybe helping to save a life or two!

Government fiddled while PE died of thirst!

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.