Water restrictions to be lifted in Gauteng

The department's Sputnik Ratau says water restrictions will remain in place in other provinces.

"It is only in Gauteng that we will be lifting the restrictions. The other restrictions in the country, where they are imposed, will remain," says Ratau.

Residents in the Western Cape, Limpopo, Free State, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga and the North West will have to continue to monitor their water consumption.

Parts of the country have seen good rain over the past few weeks, which has seen a record increase in the Vaal Dam levels.

The Western Cape remains the province worst affected by the drought.

Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane met with the Western Cape provincial Minister of Local Government, Environment and Development Planning, Anton Bredell in an attempt to find short, medium and long-term solutions to the current drought and water challenges facing the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town in particular earlier this week.

Five municipalities in the Western Cape declared drought disasters and these have been followed by a 'local state of disaster due to drought conditions' declaration by the City of Cape Town in line with section 55 of the Disaster Management Act (Act 57 of 2002) in January.