Residents in Gauteng, parts of Limpopo, North West, Free State and Mpumalanga have been warned to stay hydrated and away from the sun as temperatures may rise up to 38 degrees.The South African Weather services said that this heatwave would continue for the rest of the week most of the affected areas.

NOT UNCOMMON

Francois Englebrecht from the Global Change Institute at Wits University and a contributing author to several international climate change reports, explained that this heat wave was predicted and not an uncommon occurrence during the transition period between spring and early summer.                                                                        "We saw this heat wave coming from a mile away. It's a big high-pressure system that started to form over Botswana a week ago,' he said.

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTION

He said the temperatures are high because the summer rainfall hasn't started yet which helps cool off. Johannesburg Emergency services spokesman spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said residents should  take extra precautions during the scorching weather. "It's extremely hot in most parts of the city of Johannesburg. We just want to encourage all our residents throughout the city of Johannesburg to be safe during these extremely hot temperatures. We remain on high alert so that we can respond to any emergencies which might occur," said Mulaudzi. He said the exposure to the heat may lead to heat cramps and heat exhaustion.
"Those working in the sun should avoid it at least between 11am and 3pm. We want our parents to make sure that young kids are not tempted to swim in river streams and dams while trying to cool themselves. They should visit the local swimming pools."

He advised residents to take these precautions :

1. Keep indoors whenever possible
2. Protect young children by making sure that they are wearing hats and sunscreen
3. Stay away from direct sunlight, especially between 11h00 in the morning and 15 h00 in the afternoon
4. Cool yourself in your local municipal swimming pools with supervising lifeguards to avoid drowning incidents
5. Drink lots of water to prevent dehydration
6. Take frequent breaks if you are working outdoors
7. Avoid alcoholic, caffeinated or carbonated drinks
8. Wear light, bright coloured clothes