South Africa declare state of disaster afta days of serious bad weather

Di South African govment don declare di serious bad weather wey dey affect many province across di country as "national disaster."

Authorities for South Africa tok say di classification na afta di heavy rain, flood, thunderstorm, damaging wind and snowfall wey don damage infrastructure and affect essential services for Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, North West, Free State and Mpumalanga states.

"Dis classification come afta dem experience heavy weather from 4 May 2026, wey include heavy rain, flooding, thunderstorm, damaging winds and snowfall across di Western Cape, North West, Free State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces," Legadima Leso, tok-tok pesin for di Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs tok.

Dem neva give update on di damages wey di bad weather don cause yet.

Elias Sithole, di head of national disaster management center for SA, declare di situation as "national disaster."

Sithole tok say di national classification of di bad weather as "disaster" go put di responsibility to manage di disaster on di national govment.

Sithole call for di national govment make dem strengthen support for di disaster management structure so dem go fit implement dia plans to make sure say measures dey in place to help di national executive to effectively deal wit di effect of di disaster.

E also recommend make di national, provincial and municipal govments implement "multisectoral prevention, mitigation, relief and rehabilitation plan" to tackle di effects of di disaster.

In Western Cape province, di Garden Route District Municipality inside one statement on Sunday morning tok say some areas still dey isolated while some communities no get electricity while non-governmental organisation dey help share food to di affected communities.

"At dis stage, many pipo still dey cut off in di affected areas,"'e tok.

"Humanitarian relief teams dey continue to share food parcels and blankets to di communities wey dey affected."

Schools close down for SA as di bad weather cause damage

Fotos online dey show as di overnight rain fall and strong wind don tear down roofs, cause blackouts for pipo homes, tress wey dey fall and floods for roads for many areas for South Africa.

Afta di widespread flood, wind and snowfall, di Cape Winelands Education District announce di closure of schools on Monday as di bad weather affect di province.

Di Education MEC David Maynier tok say di decision na for di interest of students and teacher safety, and afta extensive consultation wit di Provincial Disaster Management Centre and di South African Weather Service (SAWS).

Maynier tok say some public schools and special needs schools go close down but all oda schools wey dia roads no dey affected go remain open.

"All public ordinary and special need schools for Circuits 3, 4, 5 and 6 go close becos of di severe weather warning for dat areas, including Worcester, Ceres, Rawsonville, Tulbagh, and Hex River Valley," Maynier tok.

"Di schools wey dey affected don get official notice of di closure from di Head of Department, and dem don ask dem make dem inform parents."

"In addition, 11 schools for Eden and Central Karoo Education District go remain close on Monday, becos of di impact of last week storm wey don affect di access to dia schools."

"All oda schools for Western Cape go dey open unless dem don approve closure, wey go happun on case-by-case basis."

South African Weather Service issue public advisory

Di South African Weather Service (SAWS) issue Orange Level 8 weather warning for heavy rain wey fit disrupt activities for Western Cape for South Africa.

According to di weather service dis kind weather fit lead to road flooding, bridge and formal and informal settlements, mudslide and danger to life due to di river wey dey flow fast.

Dis go hapun for mountain regions like Drakenstein, Stellenbosch, di western part of Theewaterskloof, City of Cape Town, Breede Valley and Witzenberg local govment for Western Cape until Tuesday.

SAWS issue Orange Level 6 warning for heavy rainfall wey fit cause roads, low-lying bridges, and area wia pipo dey live to flood for southern West Coast and western part of Overberg Districts until Tuesday.

Also, dem issue Orange Level 6 warning for damaging wind and waves, wey fit put sea navigation for danger and damage coastal buildings, for coast between Lambert Bay and Cannon Rocks until Tuesday.

Plus, Orange Level 5 warning for damaging wind dey for di central Western Cape and northern and central part of di Eastern Cape but e go affect Western Cape until Tuesday.

SAWS don drop dis warnings:

• Yellow Level 4 warning: Damaging wind and wave fit hapun for coast between Alexander Bay to Lambert Bay until Tuesday.

• Yellow Level 2 warning: Heavy rainfall fit lead to flooding for low-lying bridges and places wia pipo dey live for northern West Coast, eastern Cape Winelands and Overberg Districts until Tuesday.

• Yellow Level 2 warning: Damaging wind wey fit lead to damage of informal settlements, falling trees, and problems for high-sided vehicles for some routes wey dey prone in Western Cape, southern part of Eastern Cape, interior of KwaZulu-Natal, southern and eastern Free State, plus central and southern Northern Cape on Sunday but go dey for Western Cape until Tuesday.

• Yellow Level 2 warning: Heavy snowfall wey go cause loss of vulnerable animals, disruption of traffic becos of icy roads and possible closure of mountain passes go hapun ova Karoo Hoogland municipality of di Northern Cape and some place for Cape Winelands District for Western Cape, plus northern part of Eastern Cape until Monday.

For statement, di Western Cape govment tok say dem don strengthen di disaster readiness for di weather warnings.

"Di Provincial Disaster Management Centre don activate coordination mechanism across all districts in di City of Cape Town, wit all disaster management centres don dey on high alert," di statement tok.

Di provincial govment dey ask residents make dem:

• Monitor official communication channels for di latest updates.

• Avoid unnecessary travel during di severe conditions.

• Exercise caution near rivers, low-lying bridges and coastal areas.

• Secure loose objects and prepare for strong winds.