Joburg EMS on high alert for cold snap
The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services has placed all its teams on high alert as freezing temperatures and strong winds are expected to grip the province from Tuesday night, peaking on Wednesday.
This follows a warning from the South African Weather Service, which has issued an alert for extremely cold conditions across most parts of Johannesburg and Gauteng as a result of a powerful cold front sweeping across the country.
The cold snap, which made landfall over the south-western parts of South Africa on Monday, is bringing widespread rain, rough seas, and strong interior winds.
These conditions are moving inland and are expected to severely impact Gauteng by midweek.
City EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi urged residents to use heating devices responsibly to avoid household fires, which often increase during cold spells.
“We therefore would like to encourage our residents to use all heating devices safely for example Heaters/Braizers/Paraffin Stoves/Candles not to leave them unattended while in use to prevent fire incidents at home during these extremely cold temperatures,” said Mulaudzi.
He confirmed that all 29 fire stations across Johannesburg are on standby to respond to any emergencies that may arise as the cold front moves through the region.
Gauteng is expected to experience some of the coldest temperatures of the season so far, with sharp drops in both daytime and nighttime temperatures.
“But, on Thursday we might start to see some change in the weather and some temperatures might start to pick up, but it will definitely drop temperatures especially the minimum temperatures and into the afternoon of Wednesday where we can expect low maximum temperatures,” said weather forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela.
The City of Johannesburg has also issued the following safety tips to help residents stay safe during the cold weather:
- Keep burning candles out of reach of young children.
- Never leave children unattended in a room with a lit candle, heater, or paraffin stove.
- Store matches, lighters, and candles safely, away from children.
- Use safety containers with child-proof caps to store paraffin.
- Do not connect electricity illegally—it’s dangerous and could lead to serious harm or death.
- Never leave a heater unattended while in use, as it may cause a fire at home.
Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any emergencies or illegal activities to authorities as the city braces for the effects of the cold front.
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