The impact of severe weather conditions in SA ahead of winter [VIDEO]
· Citizen
South Africa enters the cold winter season, weathering severe conditions that have been hitting the country like a storm, following the release of a level 2 warning from the South African Weather Services (Saws).
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Around 70 residents remain stranded without food in De Vlugt, George, as the influx of rainfall has caused the river water to overflow and prevented further movement in and out of the area.
Communities in Mossel Bay are facing high volumes of water passing through river mouths despite pre-emptive preparations in anticipation of weather predictions.
While evacuations are underway in Gamtoos Valley, the Kouga dam has officially exceeded capacity.
70 Stranded residents
Weather conditions have also left around 70 people in De Vlugt, George, stranded, while the Keurbooms River is seen flowing strongly as water levels rise due to the heavy rainfall over the last few days.
They have requested food supplies through the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Multi-Agency Command Centre (MACC) and indicated that they do not wish to evacuate at this stage.
According to the GRDM Fire Chief, Deon Stoffels, the Western Cape Provincial Government will assist the affected residents in the area by providing a helicopter to transport the food supplies to the affected residents.
Residents in De Vlugt have indicated that they do not wish to evacuate at this stage. Video: The Garden Route Municipality Residents in De Vlugt share video footage of rainwater overwhelming the river flow. Video: The Garden Route MunicipalityEvacuations at Gamtoos valley and mouth
The Kouga Dam has officially exceeded full capacity and currently sits at 113%, which poses a serious risk to surrounding communities in the area. Residents in the following areas have been requested to evacuate immediately to ensure safety:
- Kingsway Village
- Big Fish
- Gamtoos Mouth
- Ferry Hotel
- And all low-lying areas in the Gamtoos valley
Evacuation shelters have been opened at:
- Katrina Felix Hall (Thornhill)
- Loerie Community Hall
The Kouga Municipality has strongly advised agricultural farmers to urgently relocate livestock, farming equipment, machinery and vehicles to safer areas, to avoid severe flood damage.
Residents are advised to avoid all river crossings and flooded roads as emergency teams remain on high alert and are requested to cooperate with all evacuation instructions.
“Do not attempt to drive or walk through flowing water.”
Here is a visual of Patensie, a small agricultural town in the Sarah Baartman District, Eastern Cape.
Patensie amidst heavy rainfall. Picture: WeatherGuruKammanassie Dam
In the Western Cape, rain and showers are expected on Thursday, 7 May 2026, as the weather system has now moved south-east of the country.
Conditions are expected to mainly affect areas along the south coastal area, while the Eastern Garden Route is expected to receive the majority of the rain.
Around 12:39, a strong current is seen at the Kammanassie Dam, as massive volumes of water are seen rushing into the dam, quickly pushing past trees, after experiencing heavy rainfall across the region.
This large body of water is seen pouring into the dam and is located near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, with a total capacity of approximately 34.4 to 35.9 million cubic meters.
River Mouth Breach
The Great Brak River mouth experienced a breach along the sandbar on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, and precautions were taken, where necessary, to reduce the risk of flooding in surrounding areas.
Excavators are seen reinforcing the breached sandbar along the side of the seabed to prevent the water from overflowing and further seeping into the river mouth.
While efforts are underway to ensure that the flow of water remains at a decent level, by opening up the river mouth to let out excess water.
Residents have been advised to remain cautious, especially in low-lying or flood-prone areas, and to adjust travel plans accordingly, if necessary.
Mossel Bay Great Brak estuary breached in Mossel Bay. Video: Mossel Bay MunicipalityOlifants River
As of Thursday, 7 May 2026, the Olifants River is seen flowing over the bridge near the Calitzdorp Hot Springs.
The Olifants River is flowing over the bridge, near the Calitzdorp Hot Springs. Video: The Garden Route MunicipalityClinic Closures
The GRDM has also announced the closure of certain clinics due to the severity of weather forecasts.
The Wittedrift Clinic has been closed, along with the Covie mobile route that has been cancelled. Operations at the Uniondale and Herold Satellite Clinic have also been shut down, with all mobile routes that were scheduled to go out.
“While some healthcare facilities in affected areas have reported damage and staffing impacts due to the storm, almost all healthcare services in Knysna and Bitou remain operational.”