Bishop of Selby Dr John Thomson asks us to pray for communities in our Link Dioceses of Cape Town, False Bay and Saldanha Bay in South Africa, which have been severely hit by a destructive storm over the weekend.
The late summer storm has blown roofs off and trees down, with strong winds whipping up wild fires that have destroyed a farm in Stellenbosch and at least three properties around Glencairn.
Vehicles have been blown over; there are road closures in force to prevent further accidents and people have been advised not to travel.
Schools have been closed in Cape Town and across the Western Cape Province in the Cape Winelands and Overberg education districts, as well as the Helderberg basin area.
Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier said, “We have not taken the decision to close these schools lightly: we have done so out of an abundance of caution to protect our learners and school staff. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.”
There are also warnings for heavy rains that may result in flooding, and the destructive winds are predicted to continue through Monday.
