DESPITE heavy rains over the Garden Route on Wednesday night and yesterday, supply dams in the area are still only half full and stringent water restrictions will not be lifted.

In addition, rains over the past couple of weeks have had no immediate effect on a prolonged drought and Southern Cape farmers still need disaster relief.

By 11am yesterday, Mossel Bay had received 20mm of rain, Plettenberg Bay 23mm and Knysna 24mm, according to SA Weather and Disaster Information Service head Johan Terblanche.

Snow fell on the Swartberg Mountains outside Oudtshoorn and Sedgefield residents weathered a heavy hail storm. Herold wine farmer Vivien Harpur said sleet fell at Cradock Peak outside George, while in Oudtshoorn about 15mm of rain was measured.

Despite the rain, the Garden Route Dam feeding the George area was only 35% full, the Wolwedans Dam feeding Great Brak River and Mossel Bay was hovering around 52% and the Stompdrift Dam, feeding Oudtshoorn, was 27% full. Feeder rivers in the Knysna area remained “extremely stressed” and the Akkerkloof Dam was only 26% full, said municipal technical services director Neale Perring.

Agri Klein Karoo chief director Piet Lodder said although the rain was good for his region, farmers in the Southern Cape were suffering.

“In the Southern Cape, it‘s a different story. If we get 100mm here, they need 500mm by comparison. There are areas where the situation is very bad and we are supplying tons of feed to dairy farmers.”

He said although the rain would help provide feed in a few months‘ time, currently some farmers had no food for their animals.

According to National African Farmers‘ Union Western Cape president Willie Williams, members had asked the provincial agriculture department for disaster relief.

“The drought is affecting both our commercial and emerging farmers. The government should assist with resources from the drought relief fund, but so far we‘ve heard nothing.”

According to recent media reports, some lucerne fields are barren and vegetable farmers have been unable to plant. Some farmers have had to sell their small livestock to buy feed for their remaining herds.

Agriculture spokesman Wouter Kriel said MEC Gerrit van Rensburg would visit Harlem farmers outside Uniondale today to assess their needs.

He said farmers in the Langkloof were also awaiting disaster relief.

The Western Cape produces up to 60% of South Africa‘s agricultural exports, including wine, deciduous fruit, citrus, grain, fynbos, vegetables, ostriches, small and large stock, as well as milk and dairy products.

George civil engineering services manager Harold Basson said the municipality was transporting water to farms, specifically for the use of farmworkers whose rainwater tanks for domestic use were running dry.

He said stringent water restrictions would remain in place in the town and tariff increases were on the cards for transgressors.

Perring said although Sedgefield residents had complied with stringent restrictions since the Karatara River ran dry earlier this year, Knysna residents had “not shown the same level of commitment” and would face fines if caught transgressing.

Restrictions would also remain in force in Bitou and Mossel Bay.