Cape Town – Capetonians should brave for another heatwave at the weekend, the City of Cape Town said on Friday.
Temperatures are expected to soar above the 30 degrees Celsius mark in and around the Mother City on Saturday and Sunday, prompting fire warnings from the South African Weather Service.
“Cool heads need to prevail during this time and we appeal to residents to stay hydrated, keep out of direct sun as far as possible, and be extremely cautious with flammable materials like cigarette butts and braai fires,” said the City’s mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith.
“High temperatures also tend to drive people to the beach and swimming pools and, based on the number of drowning incidents over the festive season, I do need to remind the public to swim only in designated areas and not to drink alcohol on the beaches.”
The City warned those who have not acclimatised to the heat, particularly tourists, to watch out for “swollen ankles, skin inflammation, dizziness, nausea, diarrhoea and fainting”.
People are being advised to not make fires in the open or leave fires unattended, to not throw glass bottles in the bush as they magnify the sun’s rays and start fires, and to call emergency services when fires are detected.
African News Agency