Cape Town’s notorious winds lived up to their fearsome reputation on 4 September 2026, after a video of pedestrians being knocked off their feet went viral.
The clip, shared by @frontlinenewssa on TikTok, shows two people being shoved so hard by a gust that they ended up on the pavement, clinging to a tree trunk to stop themselves from being blown further.
Other pedestrians nearby can be seen leaning heavily into the wind, struggling to cross the road while trying to hold onto their belongings.
The footage instantly struck a chord with South Africans who know all about the Mother City’s brutal spring winds – fondly known as “the Cape Doctor”. The comments were flooded with a mix of laughter, sympathy and disbelief from people who found it all too relatable.
It came as the South African Weather Service (SAWS) had issued a severe weather advisory. An intense cut-off low brought very cold, wet and windy conditions to the region, with the western and southern parts of the Western Cape placed under a Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging winds.
SAWS warned that strong coastal gusts could cause localised disruption, make travel dangerous and send debris flying.
More: Briefly
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