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- The SA Weather service issued severe weather alerts for three provinces and rain is expected in other parts of the country.
- The national government urged residents to take precautions and follow instructions from their respective disaster management centres.
- The National Sea Rescue Institute has also warned people to be cautious around the coastline.
Residents in the Western Cape, Northern Cape and North West should brace themselves for severe weather this weekend, following several alerts from the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
Rain can also be expected in several other provinces.
A Level 4 warning was issued for severe thunderstorms in the Northern Cape and the western parts of the North West, leading to flooding of roads, settlements and low-lying areas. The storms could result in the closure of some bridges and roads.
A Level 3 warning for disruptive rain, leading to flooding of roads, low-lying bridges and formal/informal settlements, was issued for the Overberg, Southern Cape Winelands and coastal areas of the Garden Route in the Western Cape on Saturday and Sunday.
In a Facebook post, the Theewaterskloof Municipality warned residents and visitors about widespread showers and thunderstorms in the area.
In a statement, Municipal Manager Wilfred Solomons-Johannes said:
The municipality added that disruptions to essential services could be expected, as well as damage to property, infrastructure, and loss of livelihood and livestock.
"The possibility of mudslides and rockfalls may occur especially along slopes and mountainous areas. The general public are cautioned not to attempt to cross any rivers or streams as there is a danger to life due to the strong currents that may prevail," Solomons-Johannes added.
The national government urged residents to take precautions and follow instructions from their respective disaster management centres.
Meanwhile, the SAWS said widespread showers and thundershowers could be expected over the western parts of the Free State.
The eastern half of the Eastern Cape can expect cloudy and cool to warm conditions, with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated along the coast and adjacent interior.
Isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers can be expected in KwaZulu-Natal.
Acting government spokesperson Nomonde Mnukwa said government was aware of the damages already caused by inclement weather and the responses of first responders in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
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"The National Disaster Management Centre supports all provincial and municipal disaster management centres to assist the affected communities. We all have the responsibility to assist government and disaster managers to keep us safe," she said.
Meanwhile, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) appealed to bathers, boaters, paddlers, sailors, anglers and coastal hikers to be cautious around the coastline, saying that the spring tide phase may contribute to stronger than normal rip currents.
"Public at beaches and along the coastline will experience the two daily high tides, which will noticeably be higher than normal, and the two daily low tides, which will be lower than normal and stronger than normal rip currents will occur at places around the coastline."
"Swim at beaches protected by lifeguards. Inland water users are also urged to be cautious. Although not affected by spring tide on inland waters, the increase in water-related emergencies is of concern, and we are appealing to everyone in and around coastal and inland waterways to have safety top of mind," the NSRI added.
