---
title: "A fine dusting of sparkling snow quenches the arid Karoo’s thirst"
description: "It’s been a cold and wet winter, with Cape Town experiencing torrential rain and Joburg icy day and night. But parts of the Cape welcomed the precipitation that broke a nine-year drought."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "IN PICTURES"
author: "Karina Turok"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/karina-turok/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-08-18-a-fine-dusting-of-sparkling-snow-quenches-the-arid-karoos-thirst/"
published: "2023-08-18T08:00:23"
updated: "2023-08-16T11:48:22"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 151
---

# A fine dusting of sparkling snow quenches the arid Karoo’s thirst

> It’s been a cold and wet winter, with Cape Town experiencing torrential rain and Joburg icy day and night. But parts of the Cape welcomed the precipitation that broke a nine-year drought.

By Karina Turok · Published 18 August 2023, 10:00 SAST · Updated 16 August 2023, 13:48 SAST

## Key points
- From thorns to aloes, the Eastern Cape's drought-ravaged beauty is in full bloom.
- Eastern Cape Province of South Africa has stunning landscapes.
- Abundance of winter rain breaking the drought outside of Aberdeen.
- Invasive Mexican jointed cactus on the road to Aberdeen.
- Rust coloured mountains of the R 341 approaching De Rust.

## Content

![Flowering aloes on the road to the Kalkkop impact crater which can be found on a private farm 50 kilometres south east of the town of Aberdeen, Eastern Cape, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.. (Photo: Karina Turok)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/8OmEH62yRHi-c2m73NcWXFBy9aY=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Karina-Picture-essay-2.jpg)

*Flowering aloes on the road to the Kalkkop impact crater which can be found on a private farm 50 kilometres south east of the town of Aberdeen, Eastern Cape, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. (Photo: Karina Turok)*

![Aberdeen Eastern Cape, Thorns and Aloes, survivors of the drought. (Photo: Karina Turok)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/x2uc_OSh2T8089Wj7_Uo6prELqU=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Karina-Picture-essay-3-1.jpg)

*Aberdeen, Eastern Cape, Thorns and Aloes, survivors of the drought. (Photo: Karina Turok)*

![Abundance of winter rain breaking the drought outside of Aberdeen Eastern Cape. (Photo: Karina Turok)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/teFC3bQg6QcEPFvXLv3QPmHz0lI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Karina-Picture-essay-4.jpg)

*Abundance of winter rain breaking the drought outside of Aberdeen, Eastern Cape. (Photo: Karina Turok)*

![Mustard yellow lichen at the entrance to the Swartberg pass. (Photo: Karina Turok)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/MY5ueuxLo5lfC_uw2SBv60ZAsWc=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Karina-Picture-essay-5.jpg)

*Mustard yellow lichen at the entrance to the Swartberg pass. (Photo: Karina Turok)*

![Invasive Mexican jointed cactus on the road to Aberdeen Eastern Cape. (Photo: Karina Turok)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/KhftdFsRR2NpKqT7XzYtUxh8Dqo=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Karina-Picture-essay-6.jpg)

*Invasive Mexican jointed cactus on the road to Aberdeen, Eastern Cape. (Photo: Karina Turok)*

![Aberdeen Eastern Cape - a Shepards Tree stands alone after the ravages of a nine year drought in the area. (Photo: Karina Turok)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/5AdmE8v4TxeKJ-OlrGAgp-8NfW4=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Karina-Picture-essay-7.jpg)

*Aberdeen, Eastern Cape - a Shepards Tree stands alone after the ravages of a nine year drought in the area. (Photo: Karina Turok)*

![The rust coloured mountains of the R 341 approaching De Rust, Eastern Cape. (Photo: Karina Turok)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/FotGCENjUPqIulsiSm8jUbq3jas=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Karina-Picture-essay-8.jpg)

*The rust-coloured mountains of the R 341 approaching De Rust, Eastern Cape. (Photo: Karina Turok)*

#### **DM**

#### *This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R29.*

![DM168](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DM-12082023001jhbis.jpg)