As devastating storms, flooding, and severe cold fronts swept through the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, and North West over the past two weeks, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has opened its doors to showcase the aging but essential infrastructure used to monitor the country’s volatile and increasingly unpredictable climate.
Experts continue to warn that Southern Africa is becoming increasingly prone to more frequent and more intense extreme weather events as global temperatures rise. SAWS Lead Forecaster Dr. Nosipho Zwane recently reaffirmed that global warming is the first and most direct effect of climate change.
From its Irene weather office in Pretoria, the service demonstrated a range of specialized instruments designed to track atmospheric conditions, air quality, and lightning—equipment that Rudzani Malala, head of disaster risk reduction at SAWS, says is critical for saving lives.
Malala explained that a testing ground on the premises is used to evaluate instruments before they go into commission. One device monitors air quality by detecting harmful gases such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. “If the air quality is bad, many diseases and sicknesses can be experienced by the people,” Malala said.
Among the rarest equipment on site is a 102-year-old ozone monitor. South Africa has only two such devices—one at Irene and another in Springbok. “That equipment is to monitor the ozone. How is the ozone doing?” Malala said. “The depletion of the ozone spells disaster for us because then it will cause temperatures to rise as well as skin cancers.”
Another critical tool is the lightning detection sensor, valued at over one million rand. SAWS has a network of 26 such sensors across the country, providing full coverage. “It captures any lightning that is released from the sky,” Malala said, distinguishing between cloud-to-cloud and the more dangerous cloud-to-ground strikes. “That information is very important for us to warn the public in terms of the severity and intensity of the storm.”
The service also demonstrated meteorological equipment measuring wind direction, wind speed, temperature, and atmospheric pressure—data that helps forecast cold frontal systems.
Malala acknowledged the high cost of maintaining this infrastructure, noting that automatic weather stations range from 250,000 to 300,000 rand, while radar equipment costs between 60 and 70 million rand. He called for greater financial support through partnerships.
“We recently launched the Early Warnings for All initiative during the G20,” Malala said. The global effort, initiated by the United Nations with an original target deadline of 2027, has been adjusted by South Africa to 2029. “We need to ensure that we have everybody on board, support from business. It’s a life-saving matter.”
Reflecting on recent floods across nearly every province, Malala added: “We are feeling the effect of climate change. To mitigate against that, we need effective early warnings.”
