Icy E Cape weather to clear by weekend

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Provincial Disaster Management head, Captain John Fobian, said the bodies of the two homeless people were discovered by police over the weekend, one in eMqanduli and the other in Mthatha.

"Not only did the icy weather claim the lives of two people, but it also made it very difficult for motorists to travel, especially because of the snow in the Karoo area," said Fobian.

South African Weather Services forecaster Bubele Bulo said the weather conditions were expected to normalise this week.

"The province experienced extreme cold weather, but temperatures will start picking up as the week progresses. We expect weather conditions to be favourable and we're not expecting any more heavy rains. The worst is over for the Eastern Cape," said Bulo.

In East London, many homeless people like 66-year-old Ali Bantom had a tough weekend, with strong winds and rain battering the city.

"I have been struggling for days. I couldn't collect empties that I usually sell to get money to buy food. On top of that, it rained non-stop, soaking the cardboard boxes I normally sleep under," said Bantom.