South Africa faces heavy snow and freezing temperatures from severe cold front

A severe cold front has swept across South Africa, bringing heavy snowfall, freezing temperatures, and widespread disruptions to several provinces. The South African Weather Service issued an Orange Level 6 warning for disruptive snowfall in parts of the Eastern Cape, with heavy snow reported in high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Free State. Mountain peaks in the Western Cape also received snowfall, creating striking winter scenes across the country.

The severe weather has caused significant travel chaos. In the Eastern Cape, heavy snow, gale-force winds, and rain have left parts of the province virtually cut off. In Barkly East, thick snowfall trapped motorists and forced the emergency closure of three major mountain passes, including Penhoek, Boesmanhoek, and Barkly Pass. Emergency services and disaster management teams were placed on high alert. Transport Department spokesperson Unathi Binqose confirmed that graders were clearing the roads, and rescue teams freed travelers trapped in their vehicles on Barkly Pass in the early morning hours before the closures.

The N3 highway through KwaZulu-Natal remained open but slow, with authorities urging...