Latest news with #Mulaudzi
The Citizen
09-06-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Hot tips: How to keep warm safely and avoid fires this winter
Mulaudzi encouraged residents to visit EMS Be Safe Centres for free fire safety training. As temperatures drop this week, emergency medical services (EMS) warns the public to ensure that all heating devices are properly maintained to prevent fire incidents at home. Speaking to The Citizen, EMS spokesperson, Robert Mulaudzi, said they see an increase in fire incidents throughout winter. ' Most of those fire incidents are caused by heating devices, things like brazier or mbaola, heaters, paraffin stove, candles. Most of these heating devices are left unattended while in use, in the process causing devastating fire incidents,' Mulaudzi said. Tips to avoid fires If using a brazier or mbaola, always operate it in a well-ventilated area. Remove the brazier or mbaola from the house before going to bed. When using heaters, ensure they are always monitored while in use. Do not leave heaters unattended around young kids. Use candles in proper safety jars instead of cold drink or beer bottles, as bottles can overheat, tip over, and cause serious fires. ALSO READ: Tips on how to protect your property from burning this winter Safety first when staying warm Furthermore, the City of Tshwane gave the following winter safety guidelines: Keep at least one metre of clear space in front of heaters, and never use them to dry clothes. Never discard lit cigarettes, especially in places that could easily be set alight. Never start a fire or use a heater while under the influence of alcohol, and avoid falling asleep with a lit cigarette in your hand. The city then stated that accidental fires are more common among those who live in informal settlements. ' We are appealing to people to remember to put safety first when trying to stay warm during the winter months.' Mulaudzi urged residents to visit the EMS Be Safe centres across the seven regions in Johannesburg. 'The residents can visit these centres where they will be trained for free on life and fire safety educational programmes so that they will be able to deal with emergencies in their respective communities,' he concluded. NOW READ: Man dies after fire guts shack in Palm Ridge in Ekurhuleni
The Citizen
05-06-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
Come rain or snow, Joburg Emergency Service on high alert
Gauteng residents have been warned to brace for severe weather With a forecast for snow and a cold front looming, Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS) said they are prepared for any eventuality that may occur. According to Vox Weather, the mercury is expected to drop below 20°C on Monday, 9 June,` as residents scurry to get their blankets out and keep warm. The first of the winter cold fronts moving over parts of the country is a preview of the rest of the season. Gauteng snow? Regional forecaster Gauteng Weather has also warned residents to brace for freezing weather. 'Early forecast suggests powerful cold snap in Gauteng beginning Monday!!!' it said on X. While Gauteng residents were hoping for a surprise snowfall, Vox Weather said the European model (ECMWF) is no longer showing snow for Gauteng. 'We're not ruling out ice rain or the chance of a few light flurries,' it said. ALSO READ: Winter wonderland: Snow expected in Gauteng next week High alert Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said they are on high alert. 'It's extremely cold in most parts of the city of Johannesburg. Residents are urged to continue to exercise caution when using heating devices —things like heaters, paraffin stoves, braziers or Imbaula.' He said residents should not leave these heating devices unattended while in use to prevent fire incidents. 'From our side as a City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services, we remain on alert monitoring all seven regions of the city, especially our vulnerable communities, our informal settlements throughout the city, to ensure that we can be able to respond to any emergencies which might occur during this extremely cold temperatures,' Mulaudzi said. 'Life-threatening snow' Meanwhile, Vox Weather has warned of 'life-threatening snow possible for parts of the Eastern Cape and Lesotho. The ECMWF model is indicating that heavy snowfall of more than 40cm could accumulate over two days in the Nuweveld Mountains, north of Beaufort West, and near Nieu-Bethesda. 'Both ECMWF and Global Forecasting System (GFS) now suggest life-threatening snowfall over 50cm (half a metre) possible in the Southern Drakensberg near towns like Barkly East, Lady Grey and Khowa. Up to 70cm expected on nearby mountain passes!' 'Less snow is now expected over the Western Cape mountains than previously forecast. Keep in mind, as we've seen many times before, cut-off lows are highly unpredictable, and forecasts can change quickly from day to day,' Vox Weather said. Warning: Do not attempt a snow chase Vox said snow remains possible over the southern Free State, with a light dusting even as far north as Schweizer-Reneke in the North West. Disruptive snowfall likely in Lesotho, Eastern Cape (including the Southern Drakensberg, Barkly East, and surrounding areas) 'This is a very dangerous snow event. Please do not attempt a snow chase in the Eastern Cape. Mountain passes could close, roads may become impassable, and vehicles could easily get stranded in severe conditions,' Vox Weather warned. NOW READ: Eskom winter outlook: Here's how many days of load shedding to expect in SA
eNCA
20-05-2025
- Climate
- eNCA
Beware of shack fires ahead of this cold front and winter
JOHANNESBURG -As South Africans brace themselves for another cold winter, residents will be pulling out their coats, scarves, and heaters. While this may mean cosy nights and warm drinks, the season also brings with it a deadly threat - a rise in shack fires in informal settlements. In April Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane revealed that between September 2024 and February 2025, more than 2,000 informal structures across South Africa burned down. January 2025 saw the highest monthly total with 973 structures destroyed nationwide. She was giving a parliamentary report in response to DA MP Conrad James Poole's question about fire incidents during the festive season. Johannesburg Emergency Medical Services (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi says shack fires on the Highveld mostly occur in winter "Due to extremely cold temperatures residents are tempted to dry and warm themselves in the process making themselves vulnerable to fire incidents." To tackle the issue, Mulaudzi said EMS has launched an education unit called PEIR, aimed at raising awareness in communities through fire safety programmes. But he stressed that residents also have a role to play, particularly with the South African Weather Service issuing warnings about severe cold fronts sweeping across the country this week. Two cold fronts are expected to bring extreme weather conditions, including sub-zero temperatures. The weather systems will first hit Gauteng on Wednesday with snowfall expected in some parts of the country. Mulaudzi has given residents guidelines to stay safe:
The South African
20-05-2025
- Climate
- The South African
Weather: Cold front to bring subzero temperatures and possible snow
South Africans are being advised to prepare for a powerful cold front expected to bring icy temperatures, strong winds, and heavy rainfall to various parts of the country on Wednesday. The South African Weather Service has issued a Level 4 warning for damaging winds, particularly along coastal regions. Snowfall is also anticipated in some high-lying areas, especially in the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal. In Gauteng, no rainfall is expected as the cold front arrives; however, residents should expect strong winds and chilly mornings. Cold front settles, residents urged to take precautionary measures to stay warm The forecast for Johannesburg predicts a minimum temperature of 2°C and a high of 13°C on Wednesday. In Pretoria, the minimum is expected to be 4°C, with a high of 15°C. Joburg Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi has urged Johannesburg residents to take precautionary measures to stay warm during the cold front. 'Residents of the City of Johannesburg are urged to prepare for a weather shift as the South African Weather Services has issued a warning for extremely cold temperatures in most parts of the City of Johannesburg from this coming Wednesday towards the week,' he said as per The Citizen. 'This drop in temperatures means that residents throughout the City of Johannesburg will be forced to use all sorts of heating devices to try and warm themselves in the process, making themselves vulnerable to fire incidents at home if heating devices are used unsafely/unattended,' Mulaudzi said. The cold front is expected to persist until the weekend. Are you experiencing snow in your area? feel free to share photos Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Star
19-05-2025
- Climate
- The Star
Joburg braces for severe cold wave as emergency services issue safety warnings
A severe cold wave is set to impact Johannesburg and Gauteng, with warnings from meteorologists about plunging temperatures and potential snowfall. As a bitter cold wave sweeps across the country, the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services is raising the alarm, calling for heightened vigilance and caution during this freezing spell. This follows a warning from the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued an alert for freezing temperatures set to grip Johannesburg and parts of Gauteng from May 20, urging residents to brace for a sharp drop in temperatures. The SAWS noted that a cold front moved over the south-western parts of the country on Monday, bringing cold, wet, and windy conditions to the western areas of the Western Cape. Although this front was not very strong, it signals a stronger and more severe weather system expected to arrive on Tuesday. The weather service also indicated that freezing levels will drop sharply, making snowfall possible over high-lying areas and causing a widespread drop in temperatures. The icy conditions are expected to move into central and eastern parts of the country from Tuesday night and continue through to Friday morning, May 23. City EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi has encouraged residents to use all heating devices safely and not to leave them unattended to prevent fires. 'We therefore would like to encourage our residents to use all heating devices safely, for example, Heaters/Braizers/Paraffin Stoves/Candles, not to leave them unattended while in use to prevent fire incidents at home during these extremely cold temperatures,' said Mulaudzi. He stated that emergency teams will maintain a heightened state of readiness, keeping a watchful eye on all seven regions of Joburg in collaboration with strategic monitoring units across the city. 'All 29 fire stations are on high alert to ensure that we effectively respond to all emergencies which might occur during this Cold Front,' said Mulaudzi. In the event of any life-threatening emergencies, residents are advised to contact the Emergency Services Call Centre immediately on 011 375 5911. The Star [email protected]
