Johannesburg’s winter season has begun with a tragic reminder of the dangers of severe cold, as a man has become the city’s first victim of the chilly weather.
The man, believed to have died from hypothermia, was discovered on Sophie de Bruyn Street near Park Station on Tuesday. He had been living on the streets and was reportedly a vagrant familiar to the local community. Tragically, his body was left unnoticed for several hours, covered with a black plastic bag, as pedestrians passed by.
Police said that earlier in the morning, the man had been seen sitting by a pole, but by 5:30 am, he was found lying lifeless on the pavement. Emergency services arrived around 7:30 am, and the medical staff’s somber reaction, wrapping him in silver foil, confirmed the severity of the cold. A police officer on-site suspected that hypothermia had claimed his life.
As Johannesburg braces for even colder temperatures, weather forecasts predict that the freezing snap is peaking, with frost expected overnight. Temperatures in the area are expected to drop to as low as -1°C in Vereeniging, 1°C in Johannesburg, and 3°C in Pretoria.
In response to the extreme cold, the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) has been warning residents to take precautions against fires, especially in informal settlements, as part of a larger safety campaign. The EMS is particularly focused on vulnerable areas, including Riverside, Stjwetla, and Drieziek settlements, urging residents to remain cautious during the ongoing cold spell.
With much of the country experiencing a dramatic dip in daytime temperatures, residents have been urged to stay safe as winter’s chill intensifies.