Severe weather disrupts power supply and transport across South Africa
Severe winter weather brings snow, hail and freezing temperatures, disrupting roads and electricity supply across several provinces
South Africa’s latest winter weather conditions have brought snow, hail and freezing temperatures to several parts of the country, disrupting transport and electricity infrastructure and raising concerns for businesses and industries operating in affected areas.
Due to the cold front, there was snow in parts of the Eastern Cape, including Mount Fletcher, as well as in the Western Cape, with areas around Mont Rochelle and Franschhoek Pass affected.
The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have been among the hardest-hit provinces, with several major routes closed or affected by snow and icy conditions. In the Western Cape, Swartberg Pass, Mont Rochelle and Franschhoek Pass have also been closed because of snow.
The South African Weather Service had warned of disruptive snowfall, damaging winds, severe thunderstorms and very cold conditions across several provinces. A Level 6 warning for disruptive snow was issued for parts of the Eastern Cape, with lower-level warnings covering other areas.
Gauteng has also experienced the effects of the system, with Johannesburg recording temperatures as low as 3°C on Monday morning. Severe thunderstorms were reported in parts of the province, while hail was reported in areas including Polokwane.
Power outages add to disruption
The adverse weather has also contributed to widespread electricity outages, with Eskom reporting a high volume of calls from customers affected by power interruptions.
Taking to social media on Monday, Eskom said its teams were being dispatched to affected areas to repair faults and restore supply.
“We are dispatching teams to all affected areas, repairing faults to restore supply, and [working] around the clock to resolve network issues. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as our teams work safely to get your lights back on,” Eskom said.
The weather-related disruption highlights the vulnerability of electricity and transport infrastructure to severe winter conditions. For mining and industrial operations, prolonged interruptions to power supply or access routes can have knock-on effects on production, maintenance schedules, employee movements and the movement of equipment and materials.
The impact is also being felt across logistics networks, with snow and ice forcing the closure of several key routes, including sections of the N3 in KwaZulu-Natal and routes in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga.
Authorities have urged motorists to exercise extreme caution as road and weather conditions can change rapidly.
The weather system is expected to continue affecting parts of the country, with snowfall forecast in mountainous areas of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Free State.
