Winter has arrived. At least that’s what it feels like. We woke up to cold and wet weather in what we can argue is the first real cold front of the season. This, as the South African Weather Service issued many warnings this week advising the nation of the potential dangers of this weather system currently sweeping the land.
We’ve been here before, and many times. Warnings are issued, warnings are seemingly ignored, and people suffer – even die. A 12-year-old girl was swept away by floods in the North West after torrential rains. Some areas were inaccessible while infrastructure damage was also recorded in some areas.
The question is whether we, as citizens and as government, are prepared for any eventuality.
There’s widespread rain and snow forecast for the coming days. We know who the vulnerable people are and in which areas they reside. So what is the plan for the authorities to avoid any further disasters and loss of lives?
Many people around the country have no choice of where they live. They live in informal settlements on the banks of rivers for ease of access to water and for lack of land. Many of these dwellings, like Stjwetla informal settlement in Alexandra, are made mostly of zinc – an oven in summer and a freezer in winter.
Paraffin for cooking, heat and light in these areas is not a luxury but a matter of survival. To add insult to injury, the price of this basic necessity increased again last night – on the eve of plummeting temperatures and warnings of floods.
In September 2024, hundreds of people were trapped in their vehicles on the N3 between Harrismith and Van Reenen for a whole weekend. They weren’t prepared for this, having to walk many kilometres on the highway looking for supplies. Those in power weren’t prepared either. People died on this road that weekend.
But we should not only rely on others for our safety and wellbeing. Our own safety lies with us. Past experiences have shown that we are not adequately prepared or we do not plan for these potential disasters and, therefore, our response is often limited.
We must not repeat these mistakes from the past.
We know the risks and have seen the warnings. We cannot afford to take unnecessary risks. Stay off flooded bridges and remain indoors if possible. Let’s stay safe and warm and take care of one another.
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