Winter in Gauteng

View from our office window

The morning woke to a biting wind and temperatures below zero Celsuis. We had been warned that it was going to be a couple of cold days but had not expected snow - 20 cm in total!

It was a day for jerseys and jackets and anything that could warm ones body and soul. Houses are not heated in Guateng so a cold snap is felt everywhere.

Townhouse garden

The local weather forecaster has noted that snowfall in Gauteng is a rare occurrence. Recorded snowfalls happened in May 1956, August 1962, June 1963, September 1981  with the largest snowfall of 10cm, and in June 2007. Now August 2012 will join the record books. It was reported that snow fell in all 9 provinces for the first time ever.

MCC worker Rati enjoying her first ever snowfall!  On the way to the gym across the street staff were creating a snow person that looked like it was peering in the window. Snowballs were flying through the air. Despite the fun the reality was that many homeless people had very uncomfortable nights trying to keep warm in the bitter cold.

Bird of Paradixe cooling off

Kwazulu Natal was particularly hard hit with severe weather resulting in hundreds of people being delayed on roads due to closures on the N3 at Mooi River, significant flooding and electricity failures. Some 70,000 people were without electricity in Durban, Midlands and the south of the province. In Bethlehem approx 70cm of snow fell causing schools to close. In the Western Cape snow lay thick in the valley of the Ceres (where a lot of fruit juices come from). The South African National Defense Force has been put on standby to assist with evacuations where necessary.

A cold week in South Africa!