Disaster management teams have been activated to address power outages and blocked highways

Heavy snowfall, strong winds, and freezing rain have gripped South Africa, after a severe cold front moved across the country. The extreme weather has caused blackouts, blocked highways, and damaged infrastructure, local media reported on Tuesday.

The Eastern Cape Provincial Government has announced the activation of its disaster management teams in response to the extreme weather system, which has affected the province since Monday.

Clean-up operations are already underway in the neighboring province of KwaZulu-Natal, following intense snowfall that led to the closure of key transport routes and inflicted structural damage. 

The N2 highway around Kokstad and Port Shepstone was shut down. Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma commended the swift work of road crews and traffic authorities, who he said prevented the accumulation of snow above 30 cm.

In the Eastern Cape, emergency services also responded to a high-risk situation outside Mthatha, where three children were reportedly stranded in a tree due to rising water levels. SAnews confirmed that rescue teams successfully recovered all three.

In a video published on X eyewitness walked in crisp snow. 

Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane has issued a public warning urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel, especially through mountainous regions and flood-prone zones. He called on citizens to immediately report downed power lines, blocked roads, or other hazards to local authorities.

Power supply has also been severely disrupted. According to IOL, citing power utility Eskom, roughly 300,000 customers across parts of the Eastern Cape have experienced electricity outages.

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The South African Weather Service had issued advance warnings late last week, forecasting a significant drop in temperatures along with disruptive rainfall, strong winds, and snow, particularly in the eastern regions. Meteorologists expect the cold front to persist through at least midweek.

South Africa's main winter season spans May to August, with snow typically falling from June to August as temperatures drop below 0C (32F). Summer begins around November. The country also experiences regular flooding, which scientists attribute to increasingly heavy rainfall linked to climate change.