At one stage, the world’s attention was focused on Cape Town during the Day Zero water crisis, but we have managed to dodge that bullet for the time being.

That can certainly not be said for many other parts of the country, and we recently covered how the international media is once again covering some of our hardest-hit areas.

This time around it’s the BBC, and their correspondent Andrew Harding, with another report from a town which lies at the heart of the crisis:

South Africa has imposed emergency measures and is declaring several regions disaster areas, in response to the worst drought in living memory.

Some areas have gone without substantial rainfall for up to five years.

Graaff-Reinet is at the epicentre of it all, so that’s where we’ll begin:

The problem itself is not limited to just a select few areas, and up in the Northern Cape, farmers are also facing an immense struggle.

Here’s Al Jazeera’s Fahmida Miller reporting from the area:

No panic, says Lindiwe, but for many farmers, it’s well beyond that point.

You know things have reached crisis levels when Carte Blanche enter the fray, and they teed up their segment as follows:

As Gauteng continues to swelter in heatwave after heatwave, the Vaal Dam which supplies the province most of its water, as well as Free State and the Northern Cape and parts of Mpumalanga, has now dropped to below 50%.

The Katse Dam in the Lesotho Highlands meant to provide additional reserves, is sitting at just 13% and the little rain that has fallen, hasn’t helped to increase the water supply.

The Department of Water and Sanitation says there is no need to panic, but with a drought looming – where will the much needed resource come from?

Off we go:

Yeah, I think we are well past government platitudes at this stage.

[sources:bbc&carteblanche]