By Alani Janeke
The rainy weather of the past few weeks, combined with another 40mm overnight, has turned Nampo Park into a water park.
About six months ago, the community of Bothaville thought another dry season would await this summer. Since January good rainfall has started to occur in parts of the region, with heavy rainfall occurring regularly over the area since 20 March.
Bennie Zaayman, manager of Nampo Park, says they have measured about 500mm at the park in the past six weeks. On 8 April, heavy rainfall resulted in Bennie and Grain SA deciding to close the park for that week to allow the water to drain.
With the cut-off low pressure that has been moving across the country since Tuesday, another 40mm fell at the park on Tuesday evening and water is standing everywhere. According to the weather office, a yellow level 1 to 4 warning for heavy rain, severe thunderstorms and hail is in effect for today over the central parts of the Free State, among others. The cut-off low pressure layer could cause rain over large parts of the country until Thursday (24 April), with the chance of rain for Bothaville standing at 80% for Thursday.
Zaayman says he is concerned about what things will look like when the park opens its gates for the Nampo Harvest Festival 2025 on 13 May. He will not be able to close the park to visitors this week, as mechanisation exhibitors in particular will start transporting equipment to the park this week so that their exhibits are in place in time before Nampo starts.
According to Zaayman, they are grateful for the paved roads that have been laid on the park, but they are concerned about areas where there is standing water where stalls have to be set up. “It would be advisable for visitors this year to pack their gum boots. We hope the water will subside with rainy conditions that are expected to clear up for the next 10 days, but today weather applications are showing a chance of rain on 7 May…”
Johan van den Berg, independent agricultural meteorologist, says weather models currently indicate the chance of further rain over the central part of the country is good during the first week of May. Prospective visitors and exhibitors at Nampo are advised to monitor weather conditions as Nampo 2025 approaches, so that they can plan adequately.
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