Weather relief for Gauteng as KwaZulu-Natal faces new storm threat

RESIDENTS of Gauteng who have suffered from floods should breathe a sigh of relief as there might be no rains in the next few days, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS).

KwaZulu-Natal can expect up to a 60% chance of thunderstorms from Monday. 

Both provinces have, in the past days, been a scene of heavy rains, which resulted in the loss of lives, damage to houses, and destruction of infrastructure. 

KwaZulu-Natal reported the death of more than 10 people, while there were two such incidents reported in Gauteng. The two died after their car lost control and crashed on Tuesday morning on Winnie Mandela Drive, which was full of water.

“No rain is expected (in KwaZulu-Natal) on Sunday. However, there is a 60% chance of isolated severe thunderstorms except in the north-east on Tuesday,” said SAWS’s Disaster Risk Reduction senior manager Rudzani Malala on Friday. 

He said a severe thunderstorm was predicted at Amajuba, uMzinyathi, Ilembe, eThekwini, uMgungundlovu, Uthukela, Harry Gwala, and Ugu municipalities on Monday. 

He said that some parts of northern KwaZulu-Natal should expect a 30% chance of rain with possible severe thunderstorms and a 30% chance of rain on Wednesday and Thursday. 

Malala said that while there would be no immediate cause for concern in Gauteng, SAWS would update if the situation changed.

On Wednesday, the National Sea Rescue (NSRI) Institute received reports of residents in distress in Randburg, on the Klein Jukskei River, as water levels were rising at apartment blocks, as well as a reported entrapment of residents at a residential home.

NSRI Gauteng Commander Gerhard Potgieter said NSRI’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) worked with Gauteng Emergency Medical Services (GEMS), Search and Rescue South Africa, Johannesburg metro police, and ER24 ambulance services to assist residents and motorists who were entrapped.

“While responding to the scene, additional emergency calls were received, alerting of a man trapped in his vehicle in flood waters in the Klein Jukskei River, at the Plantation Bridge crossing, in the vicinity of Beyers Naude Drive and Willowview Drive, Randburg, on the opposite side of Randpark Golf Club.

“As a precaution, NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam and NSRI Witbank dispatched swift rescue swimmers responding towards Randburg to assist where necessary,” said Potgieter.

He said some of the roads in Johannesburg were blocked by floods and trees that had fallen.

bongani.hans@inl.co.za