KZN prepares emergency response as SAWS issues storm, flooding alert

By Lebone Rodah Mosima

KwaZulu-Natal’s disaster management teams have been placed on high alert ahead of severe thunderstorms forecast for Sunday, as the province braces for flooding risks after weeks of oppressive heat that has pushed temperatures into the high 30s in some areas.

MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) in the province, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, placed the teams on high alert following an urgent weather outlook issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS), CoGTA said on Saturday.

It said the province faces “a dual threat, with a Level 5 Severe Thunderstorm Warning for western and southern regions and a Level 2 Warning for the remainder of the province”.

The most at-risk districts include uMgungundlovu, uThukela, Amajuba, uMzinyathi, Harry Gwala and Ugu.

The rest of KwaZulu-Natal — including eThekwini, iLembe, King Cetshwayo and Zululand — is also under a Level 2 warning, it said, with “the