In pics | Johannesburg residents left stunned and amazed by once-in-a-decade snowfall
Johannesburg wakes up to once-in-a-decade snowfall
The residents of the biggest city in South Africa, Johannesburg, on Monday (July 10) woke up to the first snowfall in over a decade.
This comes as a cold front sweeps across most of the country. The last time that the city saw snowfall was back in August 2012.
How did this happen?
The spokesman for the South African Weather Service (Saws) told BBC, "No major disruptions have been caused by the snowfall at this stage."
However, South Africans have been asked to keep warm as cold weather conditions may continue for the rest of the week.
The Saws had also issued warnings because of the cold front that has struck South Africa's Gauteng province, including the country's biggest city Johannesburg, and the capital Pretoria.
Additionally, the Soweto township was also among the places which witnessed snowfall in the province.
Residents marvel at the rare sight
Many people and children were seen enjoying and marvelling at the rare sight in the city. "Some of the pupils and I went out to explore...some of them had seen snow before whereas others thought it was raining," said primary school teacher Agnes Mideva, as quoted by BBC.
A Reuters photographer also saw some children making snowballs and snow angels on a school's grounds in the southern region of the city.
Snowfall in South Africa
While parts of South Africa regularly receive snowfall over the southern hemisphere during winter (between June to August). The sight is rare for Johannesburg which last saw snow over a decade ago.
Speaking to Reuters at the Nelson Mandela Square in the financial district, Jennifer Banda said that she was pregnant the last time it snowed.
"Eleven years down the line, it's exciting that we have snow," Banda told Reuters.
Domestic worker Nobukhosi Stompie told the BBC that she travelled through the snow on her way to work and had never seen anything like this.
Not all fun and games...
While people were enjoying the rare sight it was not fun for all, delivery driver Chenjerai Murape told Reuters how his motorbike would not start, the snow made life difficult.
"I'm trying to warm the engine so that it can start...otherwise I will kick the bike all day," the delivery driver told the news agency.
Weather experts issue warnings
Snowfall was seen across many provinces in the country, including Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and the Gauteng region.
Additionally, weather experts have also advised that farmers provide shelter for their livestock during the cold snap.
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