Western Cape Hits High of 35°C As Gauteng Braces for Rain and Cloudy Skies, South Africans React
- South Africa's two major provinces are set to experience completely opposite weather conditions on Tuesday, 8 September
- The Western Cape is set for dry and hot conditions, while Gauteng is bracing for cloudy skies and isolated showers
- South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the weather conditions, questioning the lack of rain in the Western Cape
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
South Africa's weather map is splitting the country in two this Tuesday, 8 September, with the Western Cape baking under warm sunshine while Gauteng hunkers down under grey skies and rain.
Johannesburg is forecast to reach around 19°C, with possible morning showers and cloudy conditions throughout the day. In comparison, Pretoria is slightly warmer at 21 to 22°C but still overcast, with isolated showers expected across the province.
According to several meteorologists, there is still significant moisture sitting over the interior, affecting Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
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Western Cape bakes while Gauteng gets drenched
The Western Cape tells an entirely different story. Cape Town is forecast to reach the high 20s, with some weather services putting the Mother City as high as 30°C under warm, hazy sunshine.
But the city is not even the hottest spot in its own province. Vredendal is expected to top out at around 35°C on Tuesday, according to The Weather Network, while Cape Columbine is forecast to hit 33°C under sunny skies, according to the Met Office.
The contrast between the two provinces has caught the attention of South Africans online, many of whom noted the irony of Cape Town being bone dry while the interior struggles with moisture and overcast conditions.
Capetonians worried about dry conditions
Not everyone in the Western Cape is celebrating the sunshine, though. Some residents voiced real concern about the lack of rainfall and what it could mean for the province's water supply.
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Others also questioned the reason for the lack of rainfall, suggesting that it was a manufactured problem.
Anam Nhamzo Mapeyi wrote:
"Honestly Cape Town is dry this year and I don't like it. We are not even used to extreme heat, nje."
Wietz Van Lelyveld said:
"Weather tampering at its best."
Orsiela Silla Wiese-van Seventer added:
"Scary. Capetonians are also currently talking about a mysterious humming sound in the air?"
S Keegan Web echoed that point:
"And on the Cape’s western seaboard, there is a weird humming sound they can’t find the origin of. Could this be GeoEngineering used as warfare to leave CT without water? Dams aren’t full enough."
Mitch Leca joked about the recent Airlink flyover:
"The weather reckons, no more clouds in Cape Town due to planes flying too low. What's our purpose boys? Let's move inwards."
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.
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Source: Briefly News
