A view of Cape Town’s Clifton Beach and Camps Bay. Cape Town recorded its highest ever temperature as parts of South Africa was gripped by a weekend heatwave, according to an expert. The extreme conditions saw temperatures soar to as high as 45.2C, climatologist Max Hererra said. AFP

A firefighter tries to extinguish a fire in Paarl, Western Cape Province, South Africa. A heat wave hit some places of the Western Cape this weekend. “The maximum temperature at Table Bay was an incredible 45.2C. Previous all time record (42.4C) of Cape Town destroyed by almost 3C. We will be waiting for the confirmation of ZA Met Office about the station because the exceptionality of this event. Cape Town was the hottest place in Africa – never happened before,” climatologist Max Hererra said. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

Smoke rises in Worcester, Western Cape Province, South Africa. A heat wave hit some places of the Western Cape this weekend. Just over a week earlier, the hottest ever temperature recorded in the southern hemisphere was equalled in the Southern Australian town of Onslow, where the thermometer reached 50.7C. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)