Disaster Management Monitoring teams have been dispatched to areas across Johannesburg due to severe cold and wet weather conditions.
Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Free State are experiencing a significant drop in temperatures.
The South African Weather Service says the conditions will start to clearing up from Wednesday.
Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson, Robert Mulaudzi has warned residents to be vigilant when using heating devices.
“Residents are urged to look after the heating devices as they try to warm themselves, during this wet and cold weather conditions. From our side at the City of Johannesburg Emergency Services, we will remain on high alert to make sure that we monitor all our 189 informal settlements since we know that these are the most vulnerable communities when we have wet and cold weather conditions like this one.”
Contributing to the cold, the first snow of the winter arrived on the mountains of the Drakensberg and neighbouring Lesotho on Saturday.
Snow falling at Black Mountain Pass in Lesotho. pic.twitter.com/YpSD5Q0nRO
— Snow Report SA (@SnowReportSA) May 12, 2018
Meanwhile, Western Cape Social Development, Albert Fritz, has launched the Department’s Winter Readiness Campaign at the Youth Solutions Africa shelter in Zonnebloem.
The department says as winter sets in, scores of homeless people will need shelter and food to see them through.
Spokesperson, Sihle Ngobese says they spend close to 50 million rand to fund shelters across the province…
“Today’s donation saw the minister hand over approximately 70 hygiene packs, 70 sanitary towel packs, 30 warm blankets and mattresses and non-perishable food. The department’s Winter Readiness Programme prioritises the homeless by providing R47.6-million through the Children and Families Programme funding to 29 shelters, which provides 1 401 beds across the province, per day.”
