As Johannesburg braces for plummeting temperatures this winter, the city has already witnessed its first cold-related tragedy. A homeless man was found dead on Sophie de Bruyn Street near Park Station on Tuesday morning, with hypothermia suspected as the cause of death.
According to eyewitnesses and those who frequent the area, the deceased was a familiar face to the community. Residents described him as a regular vagrant who often sought shelter on the busy streets of the inner city. Tragically, his life came to an end in the early hours of a bitterly cold winter morning.
Passersby noticed the man slumped against a pole in the early morning, but it wasn’t until around 5:30am that his body was found sprawled on the pavement, lifeless. His body, partly covered by a black plastic bag, was seemingly ignored by many walking past. An ambulance arrived at the scene roughly two hours later, around 7:30am. By then, it was clear that nothing could be done to save him.
Emergency medical personnel, upon arrival, covered the man’s body with silver foil typically used to preserve body heat—an indication that hypothermia was suspected. Police on the scene echoed this belief, suggesting that the man likely succumbed to the extreme cold during the night.
The incident comes as Johannesburg and much of Gauteng province experience a severe cold snap. According to Gauteng Weather, this week marks the peak of the current cold front, with overnight frost predicted in several regions. Forecasts showed Johannesburg temperatures dropping to 1°C on Tuesday night, with Vereeniging expecting -1°C and Pretoria a slightly warmer 3°C.
As the city reels from this tragedy, authorities are urging heightened caution for those most vulnerable to the cold—especially the homeless and residents of informal settlements. The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) has intensified efforts to educate communities about staying safe in winter.
“EMS is intensifying its campaign with a citywide rollout that targets all seven regions, with a specific focus on vulnerable and densely populated informal settlements,” the city said in a statement. Planned visits for safety awareness include areas like Riverside Informal Settlement, Stjwetla Informal Settlement, Mai Mai in the CBD, Marlboro Industrial Area, and Drieziek Informal Settlement.
Beyond Johannesburg, South Africa as a whole is battling dramatic drops in temperature. The national government has reported a significant decrease in daytime temperatures across all provinces, with snowfall anticipated in nearly every province except Limpopo.
Meanwhile, parts of KwaZulu-Natal have faced widespread power outages due to the severe weather, adding to the struggles many communities are facing amid the winter cold.
The man’s tragic death highlights the grim reality of homelessness and the vulnerability of those living on the streets during winter. As colder nights approach, the risk to Johannesburg’s homeless community intensifies, making the city’s emergency response efforts more crucial than ever.
