Gauteng braces for impact as severe weather warnings escalate
Zuko Komisa
Residents across Gauteng have been placed on high alert as the South African Weather Service (SAWS) escalated weather warnings on Tuesday, 13 January 2026.
While the most critical “Level 9” alerts are currently concentrated in neighbouring Limpopo and Mpumalanga, the ripple effects are expected to bring significant disruption to South Africa’s economic hub.
The province is bracing for intense rainfall that threatens to overwhelm urban drainage systems.
Authorities have warned that Gauteng’s road networks, particularly in low-lying areas and known flash-flood hotspots, are at high risk of becoming impassable.
Commuters in Johannesburg and Pretoria are being advised to exercise extreme caution, as the combination of heavy downpours and lightning could lead to severe travel delays and hazardous driving conditions.
Emergency services in the province have been mobilised to monitor vulnerable informal settlements and riverbanks, where the threat of flooding is most acute.
📢 Severe Weather Alert
Orange Level 9 & 6 warnings issued for eastern Limpopo & Mpumalanga.
Heavy rain, flooding & major travel disruptions expected.
📅 Valid: 13 Jan 2026#SAWS #WeatherAlert #SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/FXiHEupfBI— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) January 12, 2026
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