Overview
- A second cold front that hit the Western Cape on Monday brought Orange Level 8 warnings for disruptive rain, gale-force winds, flooding, rough seas, and snowfall that forecasters expect to persist into Tuesday.
- The National Disaster Management Centre classified the severe weather as a national disaster to speed resources and unify the response across the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, North West, and Mpumalanga.
- The NDMC reports 10 deaths across the country, including a passenger killed when a tree crushed a car in Kenilworth during Monday’s storm in Cape Town.
- The Western Cape Education Department ordered all schools closed on Tuesday, 12 May, and suspended learner transport after consultations with forecasters and disaster officials.
- City and provincial teams report flooded roads and overflowing canals in Cape Town, power outages and roof damage across multiple communities, rescue flights grounded by high winds in the Garden Route, and humanitarian groups like Gift of the Givers assisting thousands.