Ekurhuleni raises alarm as bitter cold front hits Gauteng
As a bitter cold front sweeps across the country, the City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) has raised the alarm on the dangers of heat sources, which in the past have resulted in fatalities.
Temperatures in Gauteng are expected to drop below the freezing mark as the cold weather grips most parts of the country.
Below zero
Gauteng Weather has forecast the mercury in Johannesburg on Friday to drop to -2°C, reaching a high of 11°C.
Pretoria is forecast to have a temperature of 0°C, with a high of 13°C.
ALSO READ: Get your blankets out: Cold front to hit Gauteng this week
The cold weather is a stark reminder that winter has arrived, signalling that South Africans should keep warm.
Danger
However, the cold weather also poses a danger to residents, especially those living in informal settlements.
City DEMS spokesperson Eric Maloka has warned residents to take precautions when making fires and using heaters and braziers (izimbawula), urging them to exercise caution.
'Residents are urged to make necessary arrangements to warm themselves with safer heat sources during this period.
'We therefore would like to encourage our residents to plan when using all heating devices safely.'
These include:
Electrical heaters
Braziers/izimbawula
Paraffin Stoves
Candles – these should not be left unattended while in use to prevent fire incidents at home during these extremely cold temperatures.
'All three regional fire stations around the city are on high alert to ensure that we effectively respond to all emergencies which might occur during this cold front,' Maloka said.
Cold and snow
Meanwhile, a strong cold front is expected to arrive in the southwestern Cape on Wednesday, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and rough seas.
An intense cold front is also expected to affect the Western, Northern Cape and Free State provinces from Wednesday until Friday, Vox Weather forecast.
The public and small stock farmers have been advised that very cold, wet, and windy conditions with heavy rainfall, strong interior winds, and gale-force coastal winds, as well as very rough to high seas and light snowfall on the high ground, can be expected.
ALSO READ: Eskom winter outlook: Here's how many days of load shedding to expect in SA
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