KZN and Eastern Cape on High Alert As SAWS Issues Level 4 Warning for Severe Thunderstorms

• The South African Weather Service has issued a Level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms in two provinces
• Parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) can expect heavy rains, which could lead to further flooding
• Disaster management teams are already on high alert in the uMshwathi Municipality area after recent storms

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

KWAZULU-NATAL – Parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) are gearing up for severe thunderstorms, which could lead to further flooding and infrastructure damage in some areas.

KZN has been hard hit by heavy rainfall in the past week, which has wreaked havoc and even led to a loss of life. The South African Weather Service has now warned of more to come, issuing a Level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms.

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“These areas could see heavy downpours, flooding of low-lying roads and bridges, strong winds and large amounts of small hail,” SAWS said.

Weather service urges caution

SAWS has urged residents in the affected areas to stay alert and avoid crossing flooded roads, as the severe weather conditions are expected to disrupt travel and daily activity. The weather service advised residents to monitor updates throughout the day to ensure they were safe. SAWS also noted that the central regions, including areas around Aliwal North, Cradock and parts of the Free State, were under a Level 2 warning for thunderstorms. In contrast, portions of the Northern Cape and central Free State have a 60% chance of rain.

The interior areas of the Western Cape are forecast to have a 30% chance of showers, while the far west, including the Springbok and Vredendal regions, is expected to remain dry.

Search and recovery efforts are underway in New Hanover, KZN

As KZN braces itself for more potential flooding, disaster management teams are still busy in the uMshwathi Municipality area, where heavy rains caused significant damage on Sunday, 23 November 2025. The heavy rains also led to flooding, which resulted in three people, a man and two women, being swept away.

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The body of one of the women has since been recovered. Search and recovery efforts are underway to locate the other two missing people, but inclement weather conditions have made it difficult.

Temporary structures have also been arranged to provide shelter for all those displaced by the storm damage. Local schools and community halls are being used in the meantime to accommodate those who were left homeless.

Other weather-related stories in South Africa

Briefly News reported that South Africa is no stranger to weather warnings, as the country is often affected by different phenomena.

• In March 2025, an Orange Level 5 weather warning was issued for KZN as the province was battered by heavy rainfall.
• In June 2025, the rain was replaced by snow as SAWS warned of severe weather for the Eastern Cape and even KZN.
• Two months later, an increase in temperatures across the country led to several warnings of wildfires.

Source: Briefly News