Heatwave to hit Gauteng, residents warned to stay out of the sun

Gauteng residents have been warned to brace for a heatwave across several parts of the province.

The South African Weather Service (Saws) said extremely hot temperatures are expected in several parts of the country from Monday.

“A heatwave with persistently high temperatures is expected over the central and south-eastern parts of the North West and the northern parts of the Free State until Wednesday,” warned the weather service on Sunday.

Heatwave

The north-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), north-eastern parts of the North West, Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga will experience the heatwave until at least Friday.

In Gauteng,  the mercury is expected to hit the high thirties in some areas.

Temperatures in Johannesburg are forecast to start off at a minimum of 18°C becoming very hot and reaching a high of 33°C this week.

Pretoria is also expected to be hot with scorching temperatures starting with a minimum of 20°C becoming very hot and reaching a high of 36°C.

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Precautions

Meanwhile, Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS) has taken note of the heatwave conditions.

Spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi has urged residents to take precautions.

“It’s extremely in most parts of the City of Johannesburg. Residents are urged to stay hydrated, drink lots of water and stay away from direct sunlight between 11am and 3pm in the afternoon.

“Those who are working directly in the sunlight are urged to take regular breaks and the elderly who are on medication to stay in cool areas because exposure to this extremely hot temperatures can lead to heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke,“ Mulaudzi said.

Veld fires

Mulaudzi has also urged residents to be aware of veld fires.

“As the City of Johannesburg, we remain on high alert for any emergencies which might occur in all seven regions of the City of Johannesburg.

Tips and advice to survive the heatwave.

• Avoid direct sunlight by wearing a hat and using sunscreen.
• Do not leave children or pets in parked locked vehicles.
• Stay in or under the shade.
• Drink lots of water or fluids to prevent dehydration.
• Take frequent breaks if you are working outdoors.
• Avoid alcoholic, caffeinated or carbonated drinks.

For those who will be tempted to swim to cool off the heat, here are some of the safety tips

• Swimming pools should be covered with a safety net all the time while not in use
• Install a fence around a swimming pool.
• The fence around the swimming pool should be high enough to prevent children from climbing over it and it must always be locked if not in use.
• Use your local municipal swimming pools which have lifeguards on site.

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