Africa NOW! Historic Spring Snowstorm Hits South Africa and Lesotho

Since Friday, September 20, a rare snowstorm has hit the southern regions of the African continent. In Lesotho and South Africa, snowdrifts reached up to 2 meters in places. The most significant snowfall occurred in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, and Gauteng in South Africa, causing serious disruptions on the roads.

Snowdrifts brought traffic to a standstill, including on one of South Africa's main highways, the N3, between Johannesburg and Durban.

Hundreds of vehicles were trapped, including a school bus full of children. Many drivers spent the night in their cars as emergency services worked through the night, distributing blankets and food to those affected. Unfortunately, one person died after spending the night in a snow trap at sub-zero temperatures.

Driver Muhammad Ghulam, who was on the highway during the snowstorm with his children, reported that they spent over 13 hours in their car with no food left and no way to escape without rescue. Buses traveling between provinces were stuck at gas stations for about seven hours, while trucks parked on the roadside since Friday left some drivers without food and water for over 24 hours.

South Africa’s Border Control announced the closure of three border crossings with the Kingdom of Lesotho, as "current conditions pose a significant danger." In the capital, Maseru, children who went to school found themselves trapped by the snow for several days. Returning home was extremely dangerous, and the children were in a dire situation without food, water, bedding, or essentials. As temperatures dropped, it became increasingly difficult for them to stay warm.

Snow in South Africa typically falls during the winter months — from June to August — and is most common in mountainous areas. However, even here, heavy snowstorms are rare, occurring only a few times a year, and usually, snowfall is not significant enough to cause serious consequences or damage.

The current snowfall is extremely unusual because, first, it is very late, occurring at the end of September, and second, the amount of snow is abnormal, exceeding the usual levels even in the middle of winter. South African Meteorological Service forecaster Lutando Masimini described this event as an "extreme case."

An explanation for why such anomalies occur on our planet can be found in the materials of the “Global Crisis. The Responsibility” Forum.