Cold front brings snow, freezing temperatures & dangerous conditions to several parts of SA
Disaster management authorities have warned the weather may turn deadly if communities are not adequately prepared.
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JOHANNESBURG - A powerful cold front has brought snow, freezing temperatures, and dangerous conditions to several parts of the country.
Disaster management authorities have warned the weather may turn deadly if communities are not adequately prepared.
In the Eastern Cape, heavy snowfall and deadly collisions forced the closure of the N10 between Cookhouse and Cradock and the N2 outside East London.
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The N2 highway has also been closed in the southern parts of in KwaZulu-Natal due to severe snowfall.
From frozen mountain passes in the Eastern Cape to power surges in Gauteng, the winter storm has exposed the vulnerability of infrastructure and some communities across the country.
In Johannesburg, temperatures have plunged to below zero.
City Power said households cranking up heaters and geysers has pushed the grid to its limit.
In the Eastern Cape, the weather office has upgraded the alert to level 9, warning of widespread floods, snowfall and icy temperatures.
These extreme conditions are expected to persist until Thursday.
Officials are urging communities to stay indoors where possible, to avoid open flames, and stay up to date on weather alerts as the country battles an intense cold snap.