This follows after the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a yellow level 2 warning for Sunday 23 October 2022, which includes thunderstorms with hail and strong damaging winds across South Africa, including in the southern parts of the Free State and Northern Cape. 

The municipality's spokesperson, Qondile Khedama, says the warning has further revealed possible localised flooding in low-lying areas, informal settlements and roads across the metro. 

Khedama says according to the warning, the heavy rain could also impact power supply and reduce visibility, which could lead to difficult driving conditions.

ALSO READ: Floods leave residents of Caleb Motshabi devastated

SAWS, on its Facebook page, issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms with disruptive rain and gusty winds leading to localised flooding of susceptible formal and informal settlements and roads. 

It further warned that difficult driving conditions are expected over the southern parts of the Free State and the extreme eastern parts of Northern Cape, as well as the northern areas of the Eastern Cape and the western parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

It adds that the weather conditions in the North West are expected to be partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers. 

In the Free State, it is also set to be cloudy in the east at first, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to warm, with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the extreme south west, whilst the Northern Cape, the weather conditions will also be partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers in the central and eastern parts.

The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-easterly.

OFM News previously reported that residents of Caleb Motshabi informal settlement in Bloemfontein were displaced due to heavy rains.

In January 2022, a bridge collapsed and hospitals were flooded in the North West, with livestock in Taung swept away by heavy rain.

ALSO READ: Collapsed Kraaipan Bridge in North West affecting thousands

In March 2022, over 100 families in Deelpan in the North West were left homeless whilst one person died due to floods.

In October 2022, the North West Legislature Committee on Cooperative Governance (Cogta) embarked on an oversight visit to Deelpan.

ALSO READ: North West Legislature Committee to visit Deelpan flood disaster area

According to the chairperson of the committee, Aaron Motswana, the committee embarked on an oversight visit of four days and had a series of meetings, including with municipalities, the Office of the Premier and communities. 

This was to assess the extent of damage and progress made by the aforementioned institutions in their efforts to alleviate the effects of the flood disaster, which destroyed infrastructure including schools, roads and the houses of at least 170 families.

ALSO READ: Flash floods implode NC road

In 2021, the heavy flash floods in the Northern Cape resulted in the disintegration of the N14 road 42km outside Kuruman, causing an implosion of a culvert beneath the road.

OFM News