By Ragheema Mclean
At least two people have died from hypothermia after being trapped in heavy snow on the N3 in KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend.
The victims were among several road users who spent two nights in their cars, unable to move due to the severe snowfall.
This comes after both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng experienced harsh weather conditions, with significant snowfall disrupting roads, trade, and infrastructure in the two provinces.
Speaking on VOC’s News Beat show, climate expert Professor Patrick Bond, a specialist in Sociology and Political Ecology at the University of Johannesburg, discussed South Africa’s vulnerability to the changing weather patterns, particularly in spring.
“The country has an appallingly poor adaptation and resilience to climate change. This incident is just one of many, as South Africa becomes increasingly prone to heavy precipitation. The crucial issue is that we are not prepared for such weather, leading to worst-case scenarios where people lose their lives,” Bond stated.
He further referenced a UN report on climate change, which has already warned of adverse weather patterns impacting the region.
Bond called for government budgets to be allocated towards improving infrastructure to make it compatible with the realities of climate change.
For more insights, listen to the full interview below:
VOC NEWS
Photo: @TrafficSA/X
