As the Christmas and New Year festivities draw to a close, many motorists are making their way home after the holidays.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued multiple warnings for heavy rains across the country as tropical moisture is drawn across South Africa bringing widespread heavy rain and thunderstorms over KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, North West, Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga going into the rest of the week.
According to the warning, rainfall exceeding 150mm is expected along the KwaZulu-Natal coast and adjacent interior within 24 hours bringing severe flooding, mudslides and disruptions to essential services. Saturated ground in parts of the country increases the risk of significant flooding as additional rain is expected to fall.
KwaZulu Natal MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs ( CoGTA) , Thulasizwe Buthelezi , has placed disaster teams are on high alert as the warning for the province has been upgraded from a level 6 to a level 8 from Monday 6 January through to Wednesday 8 January.
Motorists are advised to prepare for poor driving conditions and significant disruptions to traffic flow due to road and bridge closures as well as use headlights, maintain low speeds, ensure clear windscreens and avoid flooded bridged or roads to prevent accidents and fatalities.
“Residents across the province are urged to take heed of the severe weather warning and to take all necessary safety precautions,” the provincial department warned.
The Provincial Disaster Management Centre has since convened the Joint Operations Committee with key stakeholders ,including the South African Roads Agency, The South African Police Service, disaster management practitioners at the municipal level, and social partners.
“All stakeholders indicated their state of readiness to deal with eventuality that might arise from the inclement weather conditions,” said the department.
Remember to buckle up and drive safely!