Gauteng and Joburg residents warned to brace for disruptive rainfall

Gauteng and Joburg residents have been warned to brace for the possibility of disruptive rainfall across the province for the entire day on Wednesday.

Regional weather forecaster, Gauteng Weather, shared the details of the thunderstorms in a post on X.

“Alert, the SA Weather Service has issued a warning for the possibility of disruptive rainfall leading to localised flooding in Gauteng on Wednesday.

Emergency services on alert

City of Joburg Emergency Services (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said they have taken note of the warning issued by the South African Weather Services.

“City of Joburg EMS Aquatic Rescue Unit which is a Specialized Unit which responds to water-related emergencies remains on high alert monitoring all seven regions of the City of Johannesburg. Residents are urged to avoid crossing river streams and young children to stay away from river streams.

“Motorists are urged to exercise caution while driving and keep a safe following distance and avoid crossing flooded low-lying bridges/roads,” said Mulaudzi.

ALSO READ: At least six people dead, 10 still missing after flash floods in Ladysmith

He added that Disaster Management monitoring teams have been dispatched in all seven regions to monitor the situation to assist and facilitate relief to residents who might be affected by wet weather conditions.

KZN floods

Meanwhile, an 8-year-old child and an adult male drowned in Mandeni, north of Durban.

The KwaZulu-Natal government said the pair attempted to cross a river on Christmas Day when they were swept away.

At least six other people also lost their lives after flash floods hit Ladysmith on Christmas Eve.

According to the KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, the search for the missing 10 people resumed on Tuesday morning.

“The heavy rains on Christmas Eve resulted in the Bellspuit River, which runs under the Mbonontathu bridge, bursting its banks, causing water to overflow onto the N11 road near the Limit Hill robots in Ladysmith town,” said the department.

“This resulted in severe damage to infrastructure and several vehicles were swept away. One home was completely destroyed, one family member found dead and two are still missing,” it said.

ALSO READ: Heritage Day floods in Western Cape declared ‘national disaster’ costing almost R600m in damages