South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Thursday 23 December 2021

Are you keeping up with the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa? We’ve got the news you really need to know on Thursday 23 December 2021.

It has been a bizarre weather day in South Africa as a sand tornado and storm, caused by strong winds, swept through parts of the Northern Cape, and it looked like a scene out of a Mad Max movie.

Meanwhile, vehicles and houses were damaged while roads were flooded when hailstones pelted down during a severe hailstorm in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday.

In some other great news…South Africa has also passed the peak of its Omicron-driven fourth wave!

This comes barely a month after the Omicron variant was flagged by the scientific community of South Africa.

On Wednesday, South Africa recorded more than 21 000 new COVID-19 cases, according to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD). The 69 014 tests conducted over the past 24 hours represent a positivity rate of 30,6 percent, up from Monday’s 27,6 percent.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Thursday 23 December

Watch: Sand tornado and storm sweeps through parts of Northern Cape

A sand tornado and storm, caused by strong winds, swept through parts of the Northern Cape on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it looked like a scene out of a Mad Max movie.

Poffader and surroundings appeared hazy on Tuesday when a cloud of dust and sand engulfed parts of the region. Several residents whipped out their cameras to capture the moment.

Although sandstorms may be unfamiliar to many South Africans, locals in the Northern Cape have become accustomed to them.

WATCH: Hailstorm sweeps through Pietermaritzburg

Vehicles and houses were damaged while roads were flooded when hail stones pelted down during a severe hailstorm in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday.  

This heavy downpours followed a level two weather warning by the SA Weather Service on Wednesday for KwaZulu-Natal. A level the SA Weather Service issued a two weather warning for the Western Cape and Northern Cape for Wednesday and Thursday. 

The NSPCA urged the public to please report animals being kept outdoors without any shelter to your local SPCA.

“If you are unable to keep your pet indoors, please ensure that you have provided adequate shelter for your pet to protect themselves from the elements,” the SPCA said. 

Hail can cause billions of rands of damage to structures, crops, and livestock.

‘A significantly shorter wave’: South Africa PASSES its Omicron peak

Barely a month after the Omicron variant was flagged by the scientific community of South Africa, the fourth wave of COVID-19 seems to be heading towards a conclusion – after infections officially peaked NATIONALLY.

The fall in infections has been seen in Gauteng ahead of anywhere else. The province was dubbed the ‘Omicron hot-spot’ of the world, given that it was the first to experience an explosion of new cases driven by the variant.

However, the doomsday predictions made by some simply have not materialised. Despite a slight reduction in efficacy, vaccines still protect strongly against the risk of severe infection. Omicron itself, meanwhile, appears to result in more mild symptoms and outcomes for those who come down with it.

Road Deaths: Fatalities have INCREASED in FIVE provinces – Mbalula

The latest figures on the road deaths, which were released by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, show that fatalities have risen in five provinces with exception of the Free State, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Limpopo.

The breakdown on road deaths is as follows in these provinces:

• Northern Cape recorded an increase of 60.0% from 20 deaths  in 2020 to 32 over the same period
• In the Western Cape, 106 people lost their lives on the road in 2021, which is less than the 71 people in 2020 – this represents an increase of 49.3
• In Mpumalanga, there was a rise of 26,4% from 87 in 2020 to 110 this year
• North West saw  an increase of 10,9% from 55 in 2020 to 61 over the same period
• Gauteng recorded an increase of 1.4% from 148 in 2020 to 150 over the same period

“Despite these grim statistics, it is important to note that thousands of road users continue to respect the law and obey the rules of the road. This is a responsibility we must all take seriously in order to make a difference and ensure that our roads are safe to travel on,” Mbalula said.

Watch: Moloto road reckless driver ARRESTED

The motorist who was caught on camera driving recklessly on Moloto Road in Pretoria was arrested on Wednesday afternoon, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said.

This comes after Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, earlier on Wednesday, said the driver who has been identified will be arrested and be held accountable for his recklessness on the road.

“I am pleased to report that the man who was recorded driving a Range Rover recklessly and protruding from a driver’s window has been identified by investigators from the Road Traffic Management Corporation [RTMC].

“His arrest is imminent and he will face the full might of the law for his unacceptable behaviour that places the lives of other road users in harm’s way,” he said

Video footage of the incident, which took place last week, was widely shared on social media.

LATEST NEWS: WEATHER FORECAST, Thursday 23 December

Take a look at weather forecasts for all nine provinces here.

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HOROSCOPE TODAY

Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip, and lucky numbers for Thursday 23 December.