Limpopo and Mpumalanga have been battered by disruptive rain leading to widespread flooding.
Severe weather, including disruptive rain leading to widespread flooding, is expected to continue in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the South African Weather Service (Saws) has warned.
The severe weather warning comes as Limpopo and Mpumalanga reel from heavy rains throughout the week, destroying infrastructure and claiming the lives of at least nine people in Limpopo alone
Both provinces have been battered by the adverse weather condition and there is currently no reprieve in sight with Saws issuing more warnings:
Orange Level 9 Warning
Disruptive rainfall with heavy downpours leading to widespread flooding, resulting in danger to life due to fast-flowing streams, widespread damage to settlements or structures, and displacement of communities, is expected over the northern Escapement and the Lowveld of Mpumalanga, as well as the south-eastern parts of Limpopo in the morning.
Orange Level 6 Warning
Disruptive rainfall resulting in flooding of roads and settlements (formal and informal), mudslides, rockfalls and soil erosion, danger to life due to fast-flowing streams, damage to property, infrastructure, loss of livelihoods and livestock, is expected over the central parts of Limpopo and the eastern Highveld of Mpumalanga
Yellow Level 2 Warning
Disruptive rainfall, resulting in localised flooding of susceptible formal/informal settlements, roads, low-lying areas, and bridges; localised mudslides, rockfalls, and soil erosion, is expected over the central parts of both Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as well as the north-eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Yellow Level 2 Warning
Severe Thunderstorms with heavy downpours, damaging winds, large amounts of small hail, and excessive lightning, leading to localised flooding and damage to settlements and infrastructure, are expected over the south-western parts of both Mpumalanga and Limpopo, as well as the north-eastern parts of Gauteng.
Fire
Saws also warned that extremely high fire danger conditions are expected in parts of the Eastern Northern Cape and the Free State.
Here’s what to expect in your province on Sunday, 18 January 2026.
Gauteng
Gauteng’s weather is expected to be partly cloudy and warm with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers, but hot in the extreme north.
Mpumalanga
Cloudy and warm to hot with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, but widespread in the extreme east.
Limpopo
Saws said Limpopo will be cloudy and warm with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers, but widespread in the extreme south-east.
North West
The North West will be fine and warm to hot in the west, otherwise partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Free State
Residents can anticipate fine and warm to hot in the west, otherwise partly cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers.
Northern Cape
Fine and warm to hot, but windy over the western interior. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly.
Western Cape
Residents can anticipate fine and cool to warm in the north-west, otherwise partly cloudy, but cloudy with light morning rain along the south coast.
The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly, becoming strong along the west coast from the afternoon.
Western half of the Eastern Cape:
Cloudy with isolated showers along the coast and adjacent interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm.
The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south- westerly.
Eastern half of the Eastern Cape
The weather in the eastern half of the Eastern Cape will be cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and rain, but scattered along the wild coast and adjacent interior.
The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-westerly.
KwaZulu-Natal
KZN will see cloudy with scattered showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly.
NOW READ: Limpopo floods claim nine lives, billions needed for damages
