COLD WEATHER NOT GOOD!

JHB Weather Icey!The cold has arrived in Johannesburg, and it is biting hard. Mornings start with frost on the car windscreens and a wind that cuts through jackets as if they were not there. Daytime temperatures struggle to reach double figures in some parts, while nights drop close to freezing. For many of us this is merely uncomfortable. For others it is deadly.This is not the sort of winter you see on European postcards with pretty snow. Johannesburg winters bring a raw highveld chill that finds every gap in poorly insulated homes, every hole in a shack wall, and every thin layer of clothing worn by those sleeping rough. Emergency services have already warned of the increased risk of fires as people bring braziers and heaters indoors. The homeless shelters report more people queuing for a bed each night. Hypothermia does not wait for the news cameras. It simply claims lives quietly on pavements and in unheated rooms.I remember the winter of 2021 all too well. The country was already bruised by the pandemic, by job losses, and by growing despair. Then came the unrest. What began as protests turned into days of looting and violence that left hundreds dead and billions in damage. I saw the smoke rising over parts of Gauteng. I heard the fear in neighbours' voices. The spark that year was political, but the dry tinder was something deeper: people pushed to the edge by poverty, unemployment, and the daily struggle just to survive.Now, as the temperature falls again, that same tinder feels bone dry. South Africa sits like a flint waiting for a spark. The cold does not only test our bodies. It tests our patience, our communities, and the fragile threads that hold society together. When families cannot afford electricity or paraffin, when the unemployed queue for scarce food parcels in the biting wind, resentment builds. We have seen how quickly frustration can turn to anger when basic needs go unmet for too long.The signs are there for anyone paying attention. Shelters overflowing. Informal settlements where indoor temperatures can fall to dangerous levels. Young men standing on street corners with nothing to do and nowhere warm to go. Add the cost-of-living pressures that never seem to ease, and the mix becomes volatile. History has shown us that cold weather does not cause uprisings on its own, but it sharpens every existing grievance.This is not the time for empty promises or political grandstanding. Ordinary people need practical help right now. Communities can check on elderly neighbours. Churches and charities are already stretching their resources to provide blankets and hot meals. Local authorities must ensure shelters stay open and safe. Businesses that can afford it might look at donating warm clothing or supporting soup kitchens. Small acts matter when the mercury drops.For those of us fortunate enough to have solid walls and heating, the icy weather is a reminder to look beyond our own comfort. Johannesburg has always been a city of extremes. The gap between those who feel only a slight chill and those fighting for their lives in the cold has never been wider. If we ignore that gap, we risk another spark catching alight.Dress warmly. Check on one another. And recognise that this cold front is more than just weather. It is a test of how much longer we can ask people to endure without real change. South Africa cannot afford another 2021. Not in the cold. Not ever