It Didn't Snow But Thats OK, We Are Still Obsessed With the Idea

Photo by Brigitte Tohm via Pexels

Snow or no snow, South Africans still get giddy at the mere thought of flurries. Here’s why the white stuff holds a special place in our sunny hearts.

South Africa (04 July 2025) – So it didn’t snow in Joburg, again! Despite the chilly forecasts, endless WhatsApp forwards, and hopeful scanning of grey skies, the city woke up to nothing more than misty breath, sodden ground and frozen toes.

And yet, across South Africa, excitement was brewing like moerkoffie on a gas stove.

There’s something about the idea of snow that turns us all into big kids. For a country so synonymous with sunshine, wildlife and braais, the novelty of snow is pure magic. It’s rare. It’s fleeting. And when it falls, it brings us all together, even if just online, to compare flake sizes and declare “it’s settling!” with national pride.

“Maybe it’s because snow feels like a holiday.”

You don’t expect it here. It reminds us of Hallmark movies and Instagram reels from faraway ski resorts. So when it does appear in places like Matroosberg, Sutherland, or the Drakensberg, it’s like Mzansi gets its own little winter wonderland moment. The kind where strangers on mountain passes build wobbly snowmen, school kids make slushy snowballs with bare hands, and every road trip detours for a photo op.

It sends social media into a frenzy. Everyone’s a weather expert. The group chats light up with, “Did you see?! It’s snowing in Fourways!” (even if it’s just sleet or in real life, rain… it was just cold rain). The Department of Transport reminds us not to drive in flip-flops. And inevitably, someone shares a photo from 2007 claiming it’s “live now”.

We don’t always get it, and that’s part of the charm. When it doesn’t snow, we mourn it like a missed birthday. We talk about where it did fall, “Did you see those pics from Lesotho?”, and make plans to “go see the snow” next year, like it’s a concert tour.

But when it does arrive? It unites us. Whether in helping to save people trapped by snow, watching children experience it for the first time or seeing our Afrikaans neighbour put socks on under his slops to keep his ankles warm and having a laugh together, there are so many heartwarming snow stories to enjoy.

In a country where life isn’t always easy, snow feels like a small, shared joy. A reminder that magic still shows up, even if only for a day. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Khayelitsha, Clarens or Kloof, if it’s snowing, we all light up.

And yes, maybe Joburg didn’t get her snow day this year. But don’t worry. The blankets are out, the soup is on the stove, and the dream of those soft white flurries lives on, just like it always does.

Because in South Africa, even the possibility of snow is something worth celebrating.

Did it snow, sleet or something else near you? Let us know in the comment section.