KwaZulu-Natal news bites: Heavy snow cuts off rural KwaZulu-Natal families

Celani Sikhakhane brings you KwaZulu-Natal’s latest news

Impendle

Heavy snow has left some rural KwaZulu-Natal families struggling to communicate with the outside world.

Communities around Impendle, near the Drakensberg mountains, have been badly affected after snow blanketed homes and surrounding areas.

The snow started falling on Monday.

By Tuesday, the government response teams had found that communities in other deep rural areas were also badly affected.

These include areas around Underberg and Kokstad as well as communities near the border between KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

One of the biggest problems has been communication. The severe weather has weakened cellphone and network signals in some areas.

This has made it difficult for residents to communicate with family members or contact emergency services when they need help.

The isolation is particularly worrying for rural communities where residents may already live far from emergency services and other facilities.

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said government teams were working to help affected residents.

The provincial government is working with Impendle Local Municipality, uMgungundlovu District Municipality and other stakeholders.

Teams are trying to speed up interventions and reach communities affected by the heavy snow.

The snow has added to difficult winter conditions across KwaZulu-Natal, particularly around high lying areas close to the Drakensberg.

Authorities are working to ensure communities are not left without assistance while the severe weather continues.

Kranskop

Three wanted suspects were shot dead during a shootout with police in Kranskop early on Saturday morning.

Police said they received information about the whereabouts of suspects wanted in connection with several violent crimes.

Officers went to a home in the Mambulu area.

Police said a shootout started when officers approached the property.

Three suspects were shot and killed.

Police said firearms were found in their possession.

The suspects were linked to a cash in transit robbery in the Kranskop central business district on 13 April 2026.

During that incident, suspects are also said to have fired shots at a police station.

Mayville

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has warned government departments that residents want action, not endless promises.

Ntuli raised concerns about key government departments which were absent from the Provincial Social Cohesion and Moral Regeneration Council meeting.

The meeting was held at the Archie Gumede Conference Centre in Mayville on Tuesday.

Ntuli warned that departments which fail to account for their social cohesion programmes weaken the work of the council.

“Destination matters less if you cannot trust the route that led you there,” he said.

Ntuli called for the government to move away from endless planning and focus on work that residents can actually see.

Reflecting on his two years in office, the premier said people are interested in real progress rather than promises.

He also called on the government to strengthen structures that already exist instead of creating new ones which do the same work.

Ntuli said discipline and unity would be needed if the council was to achieve its goals.

Pictured above: Heavy snow has blanketed homes and isolated some rural communities around Impendle and other parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

Image source: KwaZulu-Natal Human Settlements.