Unlocking the Mystery of South Africa's 'Mind-Blowing Heatwave'
A cold front pushing hot air inland caused the recent high temperatures felt in parts of South Africa over the past week, reports News24. A graph circulating on X (formerly Twitter) shows what is described as a "mind-blowing heatwave" over the weekend. The post cites "never seen before" temperatures during this time of year at weather stations in Fort Beaufort, Augrabies Falls, Twee Rivieren, Umtata, Upington and Graaff-Reinet. South African Weather Service (SAWS) recorded temperatures for those towns range between 46 and 39 deg C. The weather service says the hot weather is regarded as normal for this time of the year, and that no temperature records have been broken.
City of Joburg Takes Debt Collection to the Streets
The City of Johannesburg has initiated a crackdown on unpaid rates and services bills by deploying officials armed with resident data to accompany Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers at roadblocks, reports IOL. At these roadblocks, indebted ratepayers are given the option to settle their debts or sign an acknowledgment of debt. Tebogo Moraka, chief financial officer for the City of Joburg, emphasized that they are not imposing arrests or threatening residents but are working to recover the R48 billion owed to the city for services like electricity, water, rates, and services. The city has collected R13.2 million from its own employees who had outstanding municipal debts, including R7 million directly deducted from wages as of July 31, 2023.
Out-of-Control Truck Plunges Down Cape Town's Kloof Nek Road
A 24-wheeler truck carrying boxes of frozen fish lost control and plunged down Cape Town's busy Kloof Nek Road on Tuesday morning, smashing into cars and overturning next to an apartment building, reports News24. The accident injured six people, including former Miss South Africa Cindy Nell-Roberts. Eyewitnesses reported that the truck started swerving and shedding its load while descending the steep road. The truck driver was trapped inside the overturned cabin and had to be rescued by bystanders. The road was closed to traffic for several hours while the scene was cleared. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
