South Africa warned of heat and severe thunderstorms on local election day — Daily Maverick
South Africa is forecast to experience extreme heat in the west of the country and severe afternoon thunderstorms in eastern regions on the day of local elections, November 4, 2026. Such weather conditions could affect voter turnout, Daily Maverick reports.
Heat in the west of the country
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) warned of very hot and extremely hot conditions in the Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces. Daytime temperatures there could reach the high 30s and low 40s degrees Celsius.
Temperatures in the mid-30s are also forecast in the central and northern interior parts of the country, including the Free State, North West province, Gauteng and Limpopo. In some parts of Limpopo and the Lowveld in Mpumalanga, temperatures could reach 36°C.
Thunderstorms and flood risk
SAWS issued a yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms for parts of Mpumalanga and northwestern KwaZulu-Natal. Under the weather service's system, this level indicates a significant risk of damage from intense downpours, rapid local flooding, hail, intense lightning activity and strong wind gusts that could damage power lines.
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Gauteng is forecast to have a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, which forecasters estimate could be severe. The weather service also issued yellow level 2 and 4 warnings for Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal for the afternoon of November 4.
Possible impact on turnout
Political analyst Oscar van Heerden believes that severe weather conditions will affect participation in the vote. According to him, parties usually urge supporters to vote earlier to avoid afternoon thunderstorms, but many people postpone going to polling stations while waiting for queues to become shorter.
Analyst Wayne Sussman noted that bad weather particularly complicates voting for vulnerable communities. He recalled that heavy rain during the 2016 elections in Nelson Mandela Bay had a disproportionate impact on turnout in poorer areas.
