Some progress has been made with the water situation in Knysna.  

Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, said in a statement on Tuesday that the water levels at the Akkerkloof Dam recently increased to 20.9% from 15%. Akkerkloof is the town’s main water source.  

ALSO READ: Knysna faces potential “Day Zero” amid water crisis

Further details indicate that the improvement has translated into a more stable short-term water outlook for the town.  

According to the Joint Operations Committee (JOC) overseeing the crisis, Knysna’s daily water usage is currently around 10.1 kilolitres per day, which resulted in “a water buffer of 17 days”.  

“This is a notable improvement from the 10-day buffer reported just two weeks ago,” the statement read. 

Bredell added that operational stability has also contributed to the improved situation. Plumbing teams have repaired dozens of minor leaks, while pump stations across the system are functioning within required specifications. He noted that there were also no major pipe bursts recently reported. 

“The Charlsford and Eastford pump stations are currently abstracting water from the Knysna River at a rate of 210 liters per second. The Akkerkloof pump station currently operates at 44 liters per second, while the Glebe Dam pump station is also pumping at 33 liters per second.” 

Bredell said he’s pleased with the progress made thus far, but noted that the broader region is still under pressure.  

“The entire Southern Cape region remains water-stressed, and current weather forecasts for the Western Cape point to a dry winter ahead,” said Bredell.  

In light of this, Bredell noted that efforts to strengthen long-term water management are ongoing. The JOC has committed to installing 1,000 water meters per week to address bypassed meters that have hampered accurate monitoring and control. 

“Effective water management in all our towns will be critical in the year ahead. We cannot control the rain, but we have full control over how we manage the water resources at our disposal,” said Bredell.  

Fish Hoek police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding a fatal crash off Chapman’s Peak Drive on Sunday morning. A vehicle plunged approximately 100 metres down the cliff face, forcing the scenic route to close for several hours.

The 47-year-old driver was extricated from the wreckage and airlifted to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries on Monday. Police say the case was initially registered as reckless and negligent driving and has since been reclassified as culpable homicide, which is standard procedure in such investigations.

Western Cape police spokesperson F.C. van Wyk said part of the investigation includes determining whether anyone else was involved. Initial reports suggested there may have been two occupants in the vehicle, but police are not yet in a position to confirm this.

Entilini Operations, which manages the iconic route, said CCTV footage is being reviewed to help establish how the crash occurred. It has been reported that the driver, coming from the Noordhoek side of the Drive, veered off the road along one of the flatter sections of Chapman’s Peak Drive.

There are unconfirmed reports that a burst tyre may have caused the crash.

Due to extremely difficult access from the roadway, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) responded by boat. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel were airlifted to the scene, where, with assistance from NSRI crews, they extricated the driver before he was flown to the hospital.

Several bystanders made their way down the cliff to help. One of them later had to be airlifted out after being unable to climb back up the steep terrain.

Entilini Operations told News24 that while accidents do occur, they are not frequent, and the road remains safe for motorists.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged calls for the deployment of the South African army in gang-ridden areas but suggests that police investigative work will inform such decisions.  

He spoke to the media on the sidelines of the opening of the ANC NEC Lekgotla on Saturday, following renewed calls, particularly from crime fighters in the Western Cape.

Organisations like Cape Flats Safety Forum want a military presence on the Cape Flats to quell the ongoing gang violence 

Meanwhile, organisations like the Cape Crime Crisis Coalition are calling for the issue to be declared a state of disaster, with chairperson, Dr Llewellyn MacMaster, arguing that ordinary policing was insufficient to address the scale of the crisis that is gang violence. 

READ MORE: Fresh demands to declare gang violence a state disaster 

Ramaphosa on Sunday noted that the army can be deployed to assist, but that the police have to be “armed with good intelligence”. 

He added and stressed that the army’s role differed from that of the police. 

“The army, as it engages in any situation, are not police people. They don’t investigate. When they see somebody who is doing wrong, they see that as an enemy and they shoot to kill. So, we have to balance all the deployments of these forces,” said Ramaphosa. 

He said deployments needed to be balanced and coordinated to avoid unintended consequences. 

According to the President, the preferred approach was a “multidisciplinary” one, where the army could support police operations rather than replace them.  

“The army can come in to support the police, and the police also have to be armed with good intelligence… Crime intelligence should be on site to be able to know exactly who the wrongdoers are.” 

He suggests that with proper intelligence on the criminals, “other forces can give support”.  

“Gang violence is one of those challenges that we’re facing that is very, very prominent in our minds,” said Ramaphosa.  

The City of Cape Town says intensified highway patrols and safety interventions helped reduce serious accidents on major routes during the 2025/26 festive season, with a notable decline recorded on the N2.

City data shows that only nine serious incidents were reported on the N2 over the festive period, compared to 18 during the same period in 2024.

For more than a decade, the City has steadily increased its presence on major highways through the deployment of Metro Police, the Traffic Service’s Highway Patrol Unit, and the Ghost Squad. This was further strengthened by the recent addition of 37 Metro Police officers deployed around Cape Town International Airport and surrounding routes, which experience high traffic volumes during peak travel periods.

Since July 2025, the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) has logged 8,552 calls for assistance on major highways. The majority of these incidents involved mechanical breakdowns, flat tyres, and vehicles running out of fuel, while just 86 cases, were crime-related.

City agencies also made 148 arrests as part of highway patrol operations. Among the most recent were two arrests on 8 January, including a suspect detained at the N1/N7 interchange for possession of a dangerous weapon, later linked to multiple house robberies, and another arrested in Montana after allegedly threatening a motorist at gunpoint near the Airport Approach slip road onto the N2.

Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, says the figures show that road-related incidents remain the primary concern on the City’s highways.

“The data shows that mechanical breakdowns and vehicle-related faults are what our officers attend to most, to assist and protect motorists. Attacks make up only a fraction of incidents reported through official channels.”

He urged the public to report all incidents through official platforms to ensure accurate records and swift response.

“There have been numerous reports of attacks on social media, but it’s important that incidents are reported to SAPS and the Public Emergency Communication Centre so that there is a proper record and an appropriate response.”

The City says many incidents are detected even without a call for assistance, thanks to CCTV monitoring. Between 1 September 2024 and 11 January 2026, 2,895 motorists were assisted on the N2 between Langa and Firgrove, with 1,061 incidents detected by CCTV operators who dispatched help immediately.