Overview
- The South African Weather Service issued a red Level 10 warning for 15–16 January as heavy downpours keep rivers high and access routes unsafe.
- SANDF helicopter crews from SAAF 17 and 19 Squadrons evacuated residents from roofs and trees, rescued a local chief, and hoisted 18 people from Khambaku Lodge near Phalaborwa.
- Rescuers are searching for five-year-old Siyanda Baloyi in Mbaula village after his mother was saved from a tree by SANDF personnel during Thursday’s flash flooding.
- Premier Phophi Ramathuba reported nine fatalities and provisional infrastructure-repair costs topping R4 billion, with full assessments delayed by inaccessible areas.
- Authorities are collating damage reports and weighing a Provincial State of Disaster application, while Airlink has resumed flights to Hoedspruit and classes were temporarily suspended in hard-hit localities.