Residents in the Gauteng, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces have been warned of expected heat wave conditions this week.

The South African Weather Service said heat wave conditions were expected to persist for the central and eastern parts of the country for this upcoming week.

The Weather Service said residents in KZN, the North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo could expect isolated thundershowers on Sunday evening.

“Severe thunderstorms can be expected in parts of KZN, North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo for the remainder of the day,” it warned.

Joburg Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said residents were urged to avoid being exposed to the sun between 11am and 3pm next week.

“Residents are urged to exercise caution when conducting daily activities, stay hydrated by drinking lots of water, avoid direct sunlight especially between 11am and 3pm, take regular breaks when working directly into sunlight, exposure to this extremely hot temperatures can cause heat exhaustion, heat cramps which might lead to heat stroke,” he said.

The SA Weather Service said heat waves occur when maximum temperatures were 5°C warmer than the average maximum temperature of the hottest month for a particular city or town for three or more consecutive days.

Residents have been warned to stay hydrated and to limit outdoor activities during the heatwave.

Wearing loose clothing, remaining under the shade and avoiding strenuous activities was also encouraged.

Heat waves may also cause heat exhaustion, hyperthermia, heat stroke and dehydration.

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