KwaZulu-Natal Hits Over 40°C in Four Areas

KwaZulu-Natal recorded temperatures above 40°C over the weekend in four areas - Mandeni, Mtunzini, Pietermaritzburg, and Richards Bay -- according to SA Weather Service forecaster Ayanda Nsele.

However, Nsele clarified that this was not a heatwave. For it to be classified as a heatwave, temperatures would need to be 5°C higher than the average maximum for three consecutive days.

What happened on Saturday was an advisory for high discomfort, meaning the combination of high temperatures and humidity could have made conditions uncomfortable and increased the risk of heat-related illnesses like heatstroke, she explained, IOL reported.

Nsele said that Durban and Mount Edgecombe recorded temperatures of 38°C. Durban was expected to reach 37°C, while Pietermaritzburg was forecasted to hit 39°C.

At that time, Nsele warned that the heat, combined with humidity, could lead to heat-related illnesses like heat cramps and heat exhaustion, especially along the coast. There was also a higher risk of wildfires.

Councillor Henning de Wet from the City of uMhlathuze on Facebook Sunday shared a two-part video by Jeanine Magalingum, showing eggs being cooked in the heat of Richards Bay on Saturday.

In the first part of the video, Magalingum took her AMC pot outside at 12:30 pm and added oil. She also had two eggs, salt, and a spatula. She left the pot outside to let the sun heat the oil. After waiting for a while, she cracked the eggs into the pot, added salt, and waited again.

The oil began to bubble, and the eggs started to change color. While waiting, she checked the temperature in her car, which was 46°C in Richards Bay.

In the second video, the egg whites turned white as Magalingum moved the eggs around in the pot. Unfortunately, the video cuts off before the eggs are fully cooked. In another post, De Wet joked that Richards Bay should be renamed "Frying Pan."

His post included a picture of a vehicle gauge showing a temperature of 42°C. Meanwhile, the Kloof and Highway SPCA reported that by 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, they had already seen several cases of early heatstroke and their team quickly took action.