The Western Cape Government says residents need to prepare now for the risks associated with a strengthening El Niño, including hotter temperatures, increased fire risk and greater pressure on water resources. Dam levels are currently around 5% lower than at the same time last year, while the province has allocated more than R65 million towards water resilience initiatives for the 2026/27 financial year. We spoke to Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, about the province’s preparedness, the lessons learned from recent disasters, and why residents need to play their part before the next crisis arrives.

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