Watch: Traffic officers deployed to Van Reenen as KZN braces for severe weather

As South Africans await the next round of icy weather, KZN has been placed on a yellow level 2 warning for potential severe thunderstorms.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued the alert yesterday, with the warning in place from midday yesterday to 20:00 today. “Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected [on Sunday] but isolated in the south-west,” reads the SAWS alert. “Potentially severe thunderstorms are expected over the northern interior, with damaging winds, excessive lightning, and heavy downpours.”

Impacts could include localised flooding of susceptible roads; localised damage to infrastructure, settlements, vehicles, and livestock; potential localised injuries and danger to life due to lightning, and power surges caused by excessive lightning.

The Zululand region can expect a cold Sunday and Monday, with temperatures creeping up to the mid-teens, accompanied by significant rainfall.

Preparing for snowfall

Meanwhile, the KZN Department of Transport announced its Road Traffic Inspectorate and Transport Infrastructure Unit have established a satellite base in Van Reenen on the N3.

This is in anticipation of snowfall as forecast by SAWS. “Our main priority is to ensure road safety. We appreciate the guidance from the SA Weather Service as an authoritative voice on weather-related matters,” says departmental MEC Siboniso Duma.

“Equally, we appreciate the enduring strength of the Disaster Management Committee, co-ordinated through Cogta (Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs) nationally and provincially.

“We value the work of municipalities, farmers, and non-governmental organisations as we implement our unprecedented agenda in response to road safety challenges caused by erratic weather conditions linked to climate change.”