At least nine people lost their lives in KwaZulu-Natal over the past weekend due to winter-related incidents.
Seven men, aged between 17 and 50, died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning near Henley Dam outside Pietermaritzburg after using a brazier to keep warm inside a rondavel. Among the victims were four members of the Mtshali family, including a Grade 10 learner.
In a separate incident, two people were killed in a fire that destroyed 15 homes at an informal settlement in Crossmoor, south of Durban.
KZN CoGTA MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi has deployed disaster management teams to assist affected families and urged communities to exercise extreme caution when using heating devices.