SAWDOS is of the opinion that South Africans are definitely left vulnerable before and during severe weather. In June 2012 two people died and several were injured as a result of severe weather in the Free State. Reports received confirm that houses, boats and a jetty were destroyed or damaged as a result of "tornadoes" moving through the Reitz, Bethlehem and Deneysville areas in the Free State. This past weekend 11 people died as a result of severe weather (Flooding and severe thunderstorms) experienced in the Eastern Cape. A severe hail storm also struck Gauteng with hail the size of tennis balls in areas. Millions of rands of damage were caused by the severe weather.

One of the major factors that contribute to the vulnerability of South Africans before and during severe thunderstorms is the lack of detailed real time weather radar images. The SAWDOS raised this issue before and also wrote a letter to the SA Weather Service. Nine months later and we have still not received a reply from the SA Weather Service. The SAWDOS on many occasions in the past and present expressed it's concern and disappointment with the decision of the SA Weather Service to withdraw the availability of free static and detailed weather radar images to the general public. The SAWDOS is feeling so strongly about the fact that free detailed weather radar images must be available to the general public that it used several media platforms to express it's concern. Readers of the SAWDOS blog also responded and voiced their concern and dismay via email messages, while others commented via the media and social media.

Unfortunately the requests of the public has fallen on deaf ears. The SAWDOS still maintain that the SAWS has an obligation under the constitution of this country to make all weather information available free of charge to members of the public to keep them informed about impeding severe weather and storms. The current static storm map displayed on the SAWS web-site is inaccurate and respectfully serve no other purpose than to indicate that there is storm activity in a specific province.

The SAWDOS is of the opinion that Weather and Weather Radar information should be free of charge to any member of the public, rich or poor. If you look at the USA, New Zealand and Australia you can get info from top to bottom free of charge. You can even get South African weather charts free from the USA. However here in South Africa we must PAY for lifesaving weather information.

Once again we have severe thunderstorms and severe weather and still the people of this country have no free access to weather radars. 11 people died this weekend.....how many more people must die just because they have no free access to weather radar images and weather information in this country? Someone took a stupid genocide decision to let people pay for weather radar images and weather information.

The decision to remove detailed static radar images from the public domain is totally contrarily to the fundamental objectives of weather organizations in most world countries where the aim is to provide the maximum amount of real-time accurate data to the widest range of their citizens free of charge. SAWS rather follow the commercial route instead and leave the public vulnerable to severe weather.

As far as limited access to certain general weather information is concerned one should ask whether the current limited information/data provided by the SA Weather Service is sufficient in protecting lives and property. The recent severe weather events (which included tornadoes) in the past months indicated that the limited free weather information on the SAWS web-site is far from adequate to keep the public sufficiently informed. The comments section on the web-site is a good reflection of the current unhappiness of the public in this regard. (Noted that some complaints by the public were removed for some reason.)

The SAWDOS can take the layback approach and watch from the sideline but who suffers the most during severe weather? The poorest of the poor and that is one of the reasons why the SAWDOS was established in 2008. The SAWDOS will always have compassion for the poorest of the poor as the founder of the SAWDOS grew up amongst the poorest of the poor in the former Transkei area. This is the reason why the SAWDOS associate with several relief organizations to assist the general public when severe weather or a disaster cause havoc and destruction. References of such events are to be found on the SAWDIS and SAWDOS Blogs in abundance.

Being a non profitable and free community based organization and the fact that all weather data must be freely available to any member of the public, the SAWDOS and the majority of citizens in South Africa is not willing to pay for radar images or any other weather data. A solution to solve the current unhappiness by members of the public would be to make detailed static weather radar images and other weather data freely available to the general public as was the case before April 2010.

The SAWDOS and the public of South Africa would like to once again request the SA Weather Service to re-consider their decision in forcing the public to pay for weather radar information and other weather information and data. We respectfully request that free detailed weather radar images and critical weather information and data be made available to the general public free of any charges.

The SAWDOS hereby plea to the Minister, politicians and parliamentarians on behalf of the general public to investigate the lack of free detailed radar images in South Africa. How many more people must die? We know that there will be deaths during severe weather but lives can be saved by making free detailed radar images available to the general public.

The current lack of detailed free weather radar images leave the public most vulnerable before and during severe thunderstorms in South Africa and this is why we are now petitioning the Minister, Parliament and the SAWS.

Johan Terblanche

Founder: SA Weather and Disaster Observation Service

Mossel Bay

23 October 2012