Reflective paint, cold cloths and heat alerts: affordable steps every South African can take as El Niño bites
Low-cost heat-adaptation interventions from individual to community level — no specialist equipment required
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- Drink water consistently — even when you don't feel thirsty
- Wear a hat and loose, light-coloured clothing outdoors
- Seek shade, especially between 11am and 3pm
- Apply a cold, wet cloth to your neck or forehead to cool down fast
- Use affordable items: umbrella hats, filled water bottles, handheld fans (manual or battery-powered)
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- Reflective roof paint cuts indoor temperatures by 3–6°C — one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost upgrades available
- Create shaded outdoor sitting areas using shade cloth, corrugated sheeting, or trees
- Keep windows and doors closed in peak heat; open them in the evening to let cool air in
3–6°C
Temperature drop achievable indoors from reflective roof paint alone
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- Ensure all facilities have water dispensers, storage tanks, and working ventilation or air conditioning
- Display educational posters and train staff to recognise and treat heat illness in patients
- Appoint "heat champions" — designated staff who support colleagues and patients during heat events
- Equip community healthcare workers doing fieldwork with cooling vests
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- Mobile heat-alert apps deliver daily temperature-based advice via community health workers — designed to work on low-data and basic feature phones
- Build early warning and response systems before extreme heat events strike — not during them
- Guarantee consistent access to clean, potable water across all communities — the single most critical resource during a heat emergency
South Africa's most vulnerable communities face the sharpest heat risk and the least access to cooling infrastructure. But none of these interventions requires large-scale capital: reflective paint, shaded seating, cold cloths and a basic mobile phone are enough to meaningfully reduce harm — if communities, clinics and households act before temperatures peak.
Daily Maverick · Source: Supplied data
