JOHANNESBURG -  While further light snowfalls were predicted for this morning, the SA Weather Service said there would  be some relief from the cold later in the day.

Forecaster Venetia Phakula said daytime temperatures would remain in the cold category today, with Johannesburg set to reach highs of 12°C, Vereeniging 10°C and Pretoria 14°C.

This is after snow and rain hit most parts of the country yesterday with the mercury in some areas remaining below zero all day. Areas that experienced heavy snowfalls include the Drakensberg, Lesotho and the north eastern parts of the Eastern Cape.

One of the areas in Gauteng that recorded a significant snowfall was Sharpeville, near Vereeniging, south of Johannesburg.

Temperatures started off at -1°C, reaching a maximum of 3°C, while Pretoria was warmer with temperatures reaching a high of 9°C, while Vereeniging went up to 3°C.

There were  reports of snowfalls in the western parts of North West province.

In other parts of the country, the N3 was closed off at Van Reenen’s Pass.

While snow had fallen along the highway all the way from Harrismith to Hilton outside Pietermaritzburg,  it was only thick enough at Van Reenen’s  to warrant the closure of the road. The N11, via Villiers and Ladysmith, was also closed as a precaution.

 Eskom warned consumers to reduce  electricity usage by at least 10%,  as the severe weather conditions affected the transmission and distribution infrastructure in areas such as the Cape and KwaZulu-Natal