The Johannesburg Emergency Management Services has called on residents to exercise caution during the heatwave this week, urging people to swim in municipal swimming pools, instead of rivers and dams.
The SA Weather Service said Gauteng and four other provinces including Mpumalanga, KZN, North West and the Free State would be experiencing a heatwave until at least Friday.
A heatwave occurs when maximum temperatures were 5°C warmer than the average maximum temperature of the hottest month for a particular city or town for three or more consecutive days.
Joburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said it was important for adults to monitor children at all times and said the best place to cool down was at a municipal swimming pool rather than a river.
“Young children who want to cool themselves during this extremely hot temperatures are encouraged to visit municipal swimming pools instead of swimming in river streams and dams, municipal public swimming pools have lifeguards on site to monitor young kids while swimming,” said Mulaudzi.
He urged residents to drink lots of water and stay hydrated during the heatwave and stay out of the sun, particularly between 11am and 3pm.
“Residents who are working directly in sunlight are urged to take regular breaks, as exposure to these extremely hot temperatures can cause heat exhaustion, heat cramps which might lead to heat stroke.”
The weather service also warned of heat exhaustion, hyperthermia, heat stroke and dehydration as a result of the heatwave.
Meanwhile, the search for one of two adults who were feared to have drowned when they were swept away in the Klip River during a cleansing ceremony at the weekend has resumed.
Just after midday, rescue teams confirmed they had recovered a woman’s body, believed to be that of the missing woman who is feared to have drowned during the cleansing ceremony.
The two, aged 18 and 21, are feared to have drowned in the fast-flowing Klip River in Olifantsvlei in the Joburg South area.
Joburg EMS Aquatic Services and the SAPS Water Wing and K9 units are leading the search which commenced on Sunday. The search continues.
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