KwaZulu-Natal disaster management teams are on high alert today following weather warnings issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
“The province faces a dual threat, with a Level 5 Severe Thunderstorm Warning for western and southern regions and a Level 2 Warning for the remainder of the province,” the provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said in a statement.
The SAWS issued an Orange Level 5 warning for the province with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers expected over most parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, 08 February 2026.
The weather service said some of the thunderstorms are expected to become severe over the western and southern parts of the province and may be accompanied by heavy downpours.
The MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) in KwaZulu-Natal, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has directed that emergency response units prioritise and monitor the following districts, where heavy downpours (exceeding 50mm), hail, and damaging winds are expected:
• uMgungundlovu District: Msunduzi, uMshwathi, uMgeni, Mpofana, iMpendle, Richmond and Mkhambathini.
• uThukela District: Alfred Duma, Inkosi Langalibalele, and Okhahlamba.
• Amajuba District: Newcastle, Dannhauser, and eMadlangeni.
• uMzinyathi District: Msinga, uMvoti, and eNdumeni.
• Harry Gwala District: Greater Kokstad, uMzimkhulu, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and uMuziwabantu.
• Ugu District: Ray Nkonyeni, uMzumbe, uMdoni, and uBuhlebezwe.
“A Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms is also in place for the rest of KwaZulu-Natal, including the eThekwini Metro, iLembe, King Cetshwayo, and Zululand districts. While the impact is expected to be less severe than in Level 5 areas, the risk of localised flooding and lightning strikes remains high,” the department said.
The provincial department has urged residents to take necessary safety measures to safeguard themselves and their families. – SAnews.gov.za
