- A cold front will hit Johannesburg this weekend.
- Residents are warned to use heating devices safely.
- Disaster Management monitoring teams will be on standby for any incident that might occur.
Johannesburg residents have been warned to use heating devices safely as a cold front is set to hit parts of the city this weekend.
The City of Johannesburg's Emergency Management Services (EMS) cautioned residents after receiving a warning from the South African Weather Services (SAWS).
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SAWS indicated that there would be a drop in temperatures in most parts of Gauteng, including Johannesburg, from Friday into the weekend.
EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said: "Residents throughout the city will be tempted to use all sorts of heating devices to try and warm themselves against this extremely cold temperatures, in the process making themselves vulnerable to fire incidents at home.
"They must therefore use all heating devices safely.... including heaters, imbaula (self-fabricated drum stoves), paraffin stoves, candles [and] not to leave them unattended while in use to prevent fire incidents at home," he said.
Mulaudzi provided some safety tips to be considered during the cold front:
- Keep burning candles out of reach of children and pets;
- Don’t leave young children unattended in a room with a lit candle;
- Store candles, matches and lighters away from the reach of children;
- Use safe containers to store paraffin i.e. safety caps;
- Do not connect electricity illegally as it is dangerous. Rather report illegal connections;
- Do not leave a heater unattended while in use as it might cause fires at home.
He said that Disaster Management teams in all seven regions of the city would be monitoring the situaion.
Mulaudzi added: "Fire Stations are fully operational throughout the city to make sure that we can respond to any incidents which might occur over the weekend."
On Wednesday, News24 reported on the hailstorms that battered Randfontein, leaving behind a white slush of ice covering the roads.
Several people took to social media sharing the extent to which the storm had affected the area. However, SAWS forecaster Jacqueline Modika said not much hail had fallen during the afternoon thunderstorm.
Modika told News24 that isolated showers could be expected in parts of Gauteng during the rest of the week.
For any life-threatening emergencies, contact the City's call centre on 011 375 5911.
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