A man who reportedly died from hypothermia was found dead on Sophie de Bruyn Street, near Park Station in Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

According to those who frequented the area, the man was a vagrant. 

His body, covered with a black plastic bag, lay unnoticed for hours by many who walked past. 

According to police, the man, familiar to the local community, was seen sitting by a pole in the early hours of the morning before being found sprawled on the pavement around 5:30am. An ambulance arrived at approximately 7:30am.

The reaction of emergency medical staff, who wrapped the deceased in silver foil, indicated the reality that the man had died from the severe cold. A police officer on the scene suspected hypothermia as the cause of death.

Johannesburg braces for colder days ahead, with weather forecasts indicating winds, rain and low temperatures. 

According to Gauteng Weather, the province is currently experiencing the peak of the cold snap, with frost expected in some areas overnight. Forecasted temperatures for Tuesday night include -1°C in Vereeniging, 1°C in Johannesburg, and 3°C in Pretoria.

On Monday, the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) urged residents, particularly those in informal settlements, to exercise caution and adopt safe practices to prevent fires. 

“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. Upcoming community visits will include: Riverside Informal Settlement Stjwetla Informal Settlement, Mai Mai (CBD), Marlboro Industrial Area, Drieziek Informal Settlement,” it said in a statement. 

The National Government has reported a significant and dramatic drop in daytime temperatures across all provinces, except Limpopo, where snowfall is also anticipated in every province except for Limpopo.

IOL NEWS

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