WEATHER HOAX DEBUNKED

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has rubbished claims of extreme cold due to the “Aphelion phenomenon” until August 2025.

The Aphelion phenomenon refers to the point in Earth's orbit when it is farthest from the sun. 

With the Earth 150 million kilometres away from the sun, conspiracy theorists believe that the distance the sun’s rays have to travel results in bitterkoud in a hoax message.

However, the celestial event happens elke jaar and is expected to occur on 3 July this year.  

SAWS said in a statement: "This [Aphelion phenomenon], according to research, is expected to occur on July 3. 

“It is important that we emphasise that this distance variation does not significantly impact temperatures or seasons in South Africa.

The forecaster further urged communities to refrain from spreading misleading information.

The statement adds: “According to our seasonal climate watch, minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be above normal for most parts of the country during the winter season, meaning that the temperatures are expected to be warmer than what we would get during our winter months.”

It added that the country will continue to experience cold fronts and cut-off lows, with Die Kaap and the Western Cape’s coastal regions expected to have below normal temperatures for the remainder of winter.

Saws said the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) returned to a neutral state, and is predicted to remain there for the foreseeable future.