SAWS Warns of Severe Thunderstorms in 4 Provinces for G20 Summit Weekend
- The South African Weather Service predicted a weekend with wet and rainy conditions, leading to localised flooding in some areas
- SAWS issued a Yellow Level warning for parts of the North West, Gauteng, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga
- Much of the country is expected to experience varying levels of rainfall, and SAWS issued a Yellow level warning for Saturday as well
For seven years, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of Current Affairs, South Africa, covered a range of topics, including accidents, fires, outbreaks, nature, weather, and natural disaster-related incidents, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.
Source: UGC
JOHANNESBURG — Parts of the country, including Johannesburg in Gauteng, where the G20 Summit will be held on 22 and 23, will experience a weekend with rainfall, strong winds, and severe thunderstorms.
According to the South African Weather Service (SAWS), Yellow Level warnings have been issued for parts of Mpumalanga, Gauteng, the North West, and Limpopo on 21 November 2025. The Gauteng province will expect severe thunderstorms leading to heavy downpours. Parts of the province will also experience localised flooding a day before the G20 Summit begins in Johannesburg. A Yellow Level 1 warning has been issued for the areas.
Weather for 21, 22, 23 November
Parts of the North West will experience a 60% chance of rainfall, whereas parts of Limpopo, the Free State, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal are expected to experience a 30% chance of rainfall. SAWS issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for parts of KwaZulu-Natal, including Newcastle and parts of Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo, and the North West. Severe thunderstorm is expected to lead to heavy downports, localised flooding of susceptible roads, strong winds, and large amounts of small hail.
The severity of the rainfall and summertime conditions is expected to shift towards KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, and the Free state. The temperatures will drop and bring cooler conditions, and a 60% chance of rain is expected in these areas, with an 80% chance of rainfall expected in Mthatha and surrounding areas in the Eastern Cape.
Source: UGC
2 Briefly News stories about November weather
South Africa experienced periods of intense rainfall followed by flooding in November 2025. SAWS issued a Level 9 Warning for Gauteng on 16 November. Parts of Gauteng experienced heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorms.
SAWS also issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for parts of KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State, Mpumalanga, and the Western Cape on the weekend of 15 and 16 November 2025. Severe thunderstorms caused localized damage and flooding in informal settlements and disrupted essential services.
Floods damage Cape Town informal settlement
In a related article, Briefly News reported that heavy rainfalls in Cape Town in the Western Cape flooded informal settlements and left scores of people homeless. Almost 4,000 residents lost their homes when the rainfall destroyed over 800 homes.
The Vygieskraal Informal Settlement was badly hit when the Vygieskraal canal's banks burst and caused notable damage. Over 150 RDP houses were destroyed in Haji Ebrahim Crescent, and this affected 1,000 residents of the area.
Source: Briefly News
