South Africa has declared a national state of disaster following several days of torrential rains, flooding, severe thunderstorms, strong winds, and snowfall that have affected six provinces since May 4, 2026. This declaration allows the government to unlock emergency funds and additional resources to assist affected populations.
The Western Cape, North West, Free State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and Mpumalanga provinces have been particularly hard hit. Informal settlements have suffered considerable damage, with thousands of families affected. In Cape Town, at least 26 informal settlements have been flooded, and over 10,000 homes and structures have been damaged. Several schools have temporarily closed, as have parts of the Table Mountain tourist site.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his "deep sadness" at the deaths and assured that authorities were using scientific tools and forecasting systems to better respond to such disasters. At least 10 fatalities have been reported as a result of the severe weather.
Emergency services remain on high alert, as further extreme weather conditions are expected. Dangerous driving conditions and major disruptions are expected on key transport routes. Gerhard Otto, Head of Disaster Management in the Garden Route, said the region is experiencing its worst flooding in 30 years. At least 45 roads have been closed, and several communities are cut off due to flooding and storm damage.
This is the fifth national disaster classified since November 2025. The others include gender-based violence and femicide, drought conditions, and the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. In January 2026, South Africa had already declared a national disaster due to heavy rains and flooding that killed at least 30 people in the north of the country.
Experts point out that extreme weather events are intensifying in Southern Africa. Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe have experienced unusually heavy rains in recent months. Moderate to heavy rain is expected in the southeastern part of the country.
