Free State province needs US $14.5 million in drought relief

South Africa's Free State province announced on Wednesday that it needed drought relief of almost R99 million (US $14.5 million). The province is among the seven declared disaster areas by President Thabo Mbeki two weeks ago. The South African government, grappling with one of the worst droughts in recent decades, has allocated R500 million (US $72.5 million) to provide relief in the provinces. Free State premier Winkie Direko told a press conference in the provincial capital, Bloemfontein, that in some areas only five percent of the the summer crop had been planted. A committee co-ordinated by the provincial department of local government and housing will start distributing relief at a date to be announced.