It generally snowed in the area, in southern Gauteng once in five or six years, said Pomegranate Bed and Breakfast owner Laetitia van den Heever, who described the scene as "just lovely".

"[The snow] has settled lightly on the plants. It's beautiful, it looks like Christmas," she said.

Van den Heever said by 8am it was "snowing again in earnest".

SA Weather Service forecaster Jan Vermeulen said there were heavy clouds over Vereeniging on Tuesday morning and a chance of light snow had been predicted over southern Gauteng.

There had also been reports of snowfalls in Bethlehem and Clarens in the Free State and light snow had fallen on Van Reenen's Pass

Parts of the Western and Eastern Cape experienced snowfall and heavy falls were expected along the south-eastern coast.

Vermeulen said there would be a brief reprieve from the freezing conditions from Wednesday.

However, on Friday another cold front would hit the country from the south west bringing a fresh wave of icy weather.