Overview
- The South African Weather Service issued an Orange Level 6 warning for severe thunderstorms over the Lowveld and escarpment of Mpumalanga and Limpopo from Sunday into Monday.
- Kruger National Park proactively evacuated low-lying camps including Shingwedzi, Sirheni and Bateleur, with no injuries reported and guests relocated to safer facilities.
- KwaZulu-Natal activated a Joint Operations Centre led by MEC Rev Thulasizwe Buthelezi, bringing in Eskom and Sanral as disaster teams monitor northern districts at risk.
- Northern KZN areas such as Jozini, Mtubatuba, Nongoma and oPhongolo could see rainfall locally exceeding 100 mm with threats of flooding, strong winds and infrastructure damage.
- SAWS notes uncertainty over the low’s exact track but cautions that prolonged rain is possible through 15 January, as other regions face extreme heat and very high fire danger.