The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has told voters to prepare for very hot weather and afternoon thunderstorms during the 2026 Local Government Elections. Special voting takes place on Monday and Tuesday, 2 and 3 November, and the main vote follows on Wednesday, 4 November.
In an outlook released on Friday, 30 October, SAWS said warm to very hot conditions would affect several parts of the country. It said afternoon showers and thunderstorms could make travel to voting stations harder.
“On official election day, Wednesday, 4 November 2026, fine and warm to very hot conditions are expected over the central and western parts of the country,” SAWS said.
The east is expected to be different on that day. SAWS said “partly cloudy and cool conditions are expected in places over the eastern parts, with morning drizzle possible along the eastern Drakensberg.” It also forecast isolated afternoon showers and thunderstorms in the east.
The hot weather is forecast to start before voting opens. SAWS said partly cloudy and warm to hot conditions were expected across much of South Africa on Sunday, 1 November.
It said parts of the Northern Cape, North West, Limpopo and the Lowveld of Mpumalanga could see very hot conditions on that day. Scattered showers and thunderstorms were forecast over parts of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
“Similar weather conditions are expected to persist on Monday and Tuesday, 2 to 3 November 2026, with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers possible over several parts of the country,” SAWS said.
The weather service asked voters to keep afternoon storms in mind when they plan their trips to voting stations. It told people in very hot areas to drink enough water and to protect themselves from the heat.
SAWS also advised people travelling in storm areas to carry umbrellas or raincoats and to leave extra time for their journeys.
“Allow sufficient time for travel and exercise caution on wet roads, especially during periods of reduced visibility,” SAWS advised.
IOL reported that rain could make travel difficult for voters who live far from their polling stations.
SAWS said spring weather in South Africa remained unpredictable and could change from day to day. It said the developing El Niño pattern was expected to affect the season, with parts of the country likely to get below-normal rain and above-normal temperatures. It cautioned that showers and thunderstorms could still occur in some areas.
“The South African Weather Service will continue to monitor weather developments throughout the voting period and will issue severe weather warnings and advisories when necessary,” SAWS said.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL. Image: IOL. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.