Snow havoc in SA
2012-08-07 14:56
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South Africans have taken to social networks sharing pictures of snow falling in Joburg and surrounding areas. Share your snow photos with us.
Snow has fallen in all nine of South Africa’s provinces on
the same day.
Pretoria experienced snow for the first time since the late
1960s, in the Western Cape, snow fell on mountains in the Boland as well as in towns
like Richmond and Touws River while snow was lying thick on the Matroosberg in
Ceres. Johannesburg had snow fall up to 20cm deep in some areas while Golden Gate
in the Free State got the most snow in six years.
As the cold front is expected to continue for a day or two, parts of the N3
Toll Route between Joburg and Durban have reportedly been closed. Other roads affected
included the N2 between Harding and Kokstad, the R617 between Swartberg
Underberg and the P609 Matatiele, RTI spokeswoman Zinhle Mngomezulu
said. Motorists are being advised to avoid the stretch between
Wilge Toll Plaza to the Cedara Interchange near Hilton in KwaZulu-Natal.
Several ambulances and paramedic cars were also snowed in
at Nottingham Road on the N2 on Wednesday morning, after responding to an
accident, KwaZulu-Natal paramedics said.
Johannesburg Metro Police spokesman Chief Superintendent
Wayne Minnaar has urged motorists to be
extra vigilant as more bad weather was expected.
Social media networks continue to be flooded with images and posting of
unusual weather conditions.
Tweets from Gauteng on Tuesday morning reported snow falling in Vereeniging, Carltonville and other areas in the Vaal region.
Mountains in the Western Cape were covered in snow on Monday and temperatures were extremely low across the country.
There
had also been reports of snowfalls in Bethlehem and Clarens in the Free
State and light snow had fallen on Van Reenen's Pass.
Parts of the Western and Eastern Cape experienced snowfall and heavy falls were expected along the south-eastern coast.
Earlier, about 200 trucks were held up at Tugela toll plaza. Light motor vehicles had to be diverted towards Newcastle.
The KwaZulu-Natal co-operative governance and traditional affairs department said it had placed its disaster management teams on standby.
"Emergency rescue and disaster personnel have been dispatched to various parts of the province, especially the interior, where heavy snow is currently falling and making the N3 impassable," spokesman Vernon Mchunu said.
Co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Nomusa Dube said no disastrous situations had been reported.
"The
cold weather is set to continue throughout the day and into the night, and so is the rainfall.
"Therefore, we urge communities to be cautious with fires as they try to heat up their homes to keep warm," Dube said.
She also urged motorists to drive carefully, as the roads were slippery and snowfalls were forecast in some parts of the province.
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