KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Nomusa Dube-Ncube has issued a weather alert to communities regarding the development of an intense weather system that will result in extreme cold, snow and heavy rains as of tomorrow, Wednesday 16 August, as advised by the South African Weather Services.
This inclement weather is expected to affect almost the whole country and extend into the weekend. In response to this, Dube-Ncube’s department has placed its disaster management teams on standby to deal with any eventualities that could arise from the deteriorating weather conditions.
“We are urging all residents of KZN to be cautious as many of our communities will be affected by the expected cold, including snowfall, and the reduced visibility on the roads as a result of this. We urge all those who are driving to take the necessary precautions and postpone all unnecessary journeys in poor weather conditions,” said Dube-Ncube.
KZN Cogta has also urged parents to be responsible and ensure that their children travel to school along safe routes and do not cross low-lying areas which are susceptible to flooding. The department is likewise urging schools to take note of this weather warning in their planning of excursions and other outdoor activities.
The province has traditionally borne the brunt of inclement weather conditions that routinely leave a trail of death and destruction in their wake through localised flooding, hail storms, lightning strikes and veld fires, all of which tend to cause millions of rand in damages to public infrastructure and private property.
“We can assure the general public that a great deal of effort is always made by Cogta to ensure that each weather warning is acted upon appropriately and that important information is cascaded down to municipalities and other authorities in areas that are prone to weather-related incidents,” said Dube-Ncube.
Media enquiries: KZN Cogta spokespersons Lennox Mabaso, 082 884 2403; or Msawakhe Mayisela, 060 966 4220
Date: 15 August 2017
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