It is dry and hot but life goes on

And I’m not talking just about two farmers gazing downheartedly at the dry soil, wondering when Africa will bestow a blessing on the land again.

In the past, talking about the weather was almost taboo; the subject was classified as chit-chat and a sign that topics that stir the imagination and emotion have flown the coop.

But now we can talk about the weather, because it is no longer regarded as being a subject to merely pass the time and it actually has some relevance.

Here, in our sun-scorched land of corruption, South Africa is staring at one of its worst droughts since 1992.

And, apparently, it’s the fault of El Nino – no, this is not a Mexican wrestler with a colourful mask, but a weather phenomenon that is causing havoc.

El Nino is a global weather pattern that denies moisture to the sub-Saharan region.

As the strongest El Nino in 20 years continues to develop, it’s no surprise that most seasonal predictions are indicating South Africa’s summer rainfall areas to be drier than normal.

The drought could mean hefty food prices for 2016, and this does not come at a good time considering SA’s economic growth is at its slowest since the 2009 recession.

Already South African maize producers are desperate for rain and, as they face increasing debt, they will have to implore the government to provide guarantees for new bank loans.

After all, farmers will be left short of collateral before the new planting season.

As the drought continues and the farmers look towards the sky for some good news, many will again look towards the government for help, but such help might be hard to find, just like a rain drop.

The government is already battling to deal with unemployment that has risen beyond 25 per cent, while inflation is on course to breach the central bank’s six per cent target early next year.

Protests by university students that won a back-down on tuition-fee increases have also forced the government to fund an unanticipated R2.6-billion shortfall.

So yes, the weather does matter, because the drought which is devastating parts of South Africa will cause the country’s farmers to lose up to billions this year.

And while Eskom has optimistically declared no load shedding for the rest of the year, the prospects in terms of the drought ceasing do not look so promising.

The latest seasonal outlooks from the South African Weather Service and CSIR indicate that the rest of summer will be much drier than normal for the central parts, including the Northern Cape, North West, Free State and the Eastern Cape, while there may be a period around the new year when near-normal rainfall for most of the summer rain areas will be possible.

Further ahead, towards mid-to late summer (Jan/Feb), there are strong indications that virtually all of South Africa is expected to experience below normal rainfall.

There are even expectations that the dry weather will persist until March, a period when the country normally gets most of its rain. In short, the drought is likely to continue, if not worsen.

We also have to remember this is the fourth consecutive year of drier-than-average weather, with 2015 the most severe.

To add to our misery after losing the Rugby World Cup, reports indicate that, when comparing the water storage (in per cent) for each province between this time last year and now, overall there has been a marked decrease in stored water in the country’s dams, with only the Eastern Cape seeing a slight increase.

To summarise and to make us think twice about filling the bathtub, flushing the toilet or watering the garden, dam levels across the country are already low, with some areas already facing critical levels.

This all means we may face water cuts.

Yes, just as we got over load shedding, possible water shedding is on the cards, with the timing and size of cuts depending on the rate of voluntary rationing by South Africans, along with future rainfall.

And water restrictions are no joke, the situation could turn into a stinky mess when people cannot bath.

I sort of felt sorry for the Californians when they were hit with a drought this year, never thinking El Nino was about to come charging through our chaotic lives.

One can only wonder, if restrictions are imposed, if South Africans will indeed comply, unlike some of the rich Californians who thought their egos and bank balances were above the law.

At the end of the day, whether the weather changes or not, if rain comes or cowers behind El Nino, life will go on in South Africa and yes, the EFF will be with us at least until the next general elections.