A powerful tornado swept through South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces, leaving 22 dead and causing widespread destruction. The storm ravaged the town of Tongaat, north of Durban, toppling electricity poles and trees and flooding roads. KwaZulu-Natal’s Prime Minister Nomusa Dube-Ncube confirmed 11 fatalities in the Durban area. In the Eastern Cape’s Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, floods led to the evacuation of over 2,000 people and claimed another 11 lives.
Years of construction in the Kaaba have reached their final phase, with major upgrades enabling 1.7 million pilgrims to pray at the same time. The Metaf area is now fully utilized, and all air conditioning and electrical installations along the marble walls and columns have been completed and enclosed.
With the number of pilgrims capped at 1.8 million—matching the number of visas issued—significant relief has been observed in the tawaf and sa’i areas. The Damascus Gate side, which had been under construction, is now fully open for entry and exit. The only ongoing work is behind the Marwah Gate, which does not affect prayer activities.
Additionally, two helipads have been built to allow emergency air transfers during heavy congestion. These infrastructure improvements are part of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Kaaba Expansion Vision.
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