Rare snowfall excites Johannesburg residents

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) – Residents of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, woke up to a rare sight on Monday morning when snow made unusual landfall in the metropolis, exciting many who ventured outside to take photos despite the chilly weather.

Many shared photos and videos on social media, some with excitement and others with shock. Some people posted on Twitter pictures of children building snowmen. Photos and videos of snow trended on Twitter and other social media platforms for much of Monday.

“It’s snowing. It’s snowing. Are we really in Africa?” Johannesburg resident Jonny Mazibuko shouted as he ran through the streets to feel the light snowfall.

It rarely snows in Gauteng province, which includes the capital Pretoria and Johannesburg, where snowfall was last seen over a decade ago.

The South Africa Weather Services has forecast a cold front for Gauteng province and other parts of the country. Temperatures have dropped to between 1 Celsius (33.8 Fahrenheit) and 6 Celsius (42.8 Fahrenheit) in some areas.

Motorists have been urged to take precautions as the cold front brings disruptive snowfall to some parts of the country.