Snow closes roads in KwaZulu-Natal

The Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) has closed a section of the N2 due to snowfall around Kokstad and Port Shepstone.

KwaZulu-Natal transport MEC Siboniso Duma said: “To save lives, we have decided to completely close the road between Kokstad and Pietermaritzburg and between Tacoma [and] Reit.

“We urge motorists and the public to avoid the area at all costs by delaying their trips leading to Kokstad as trucks are stuck and creating huge congestion.

“The RTI team is working with traffic police from Kokstad and Ray Nkonyeni municipalities to redirect motorists and clear the snow.”

RTI officials are monitoring major routes in consultation with the N3 toll concession. The focus is on the N2 around Kokstad and Port Shepstone; the N3 near Harrismith; the Tugela toll; the regional road between Kokstad and Underberg; Ingeli; and N3 Mooi River.

Motor graders are being readied to remove snow before it accumulates to more than 30cm in depth on roads.

The province has received three orange level 6 warnings for disruptive snow, torrential rain and gale-force winds in the southern parts.

Duma said the government was interacting with the SA Weather Service to stay up to date and ensure its response was effective.

The Eastern Cape transport department issued multiple weather-related traffic alerts to motorists on Tuesday. People travelling between Johannesburg and East London were advised to detour in Aliwal North towards Burgersdorp via the R58, then from Burgersdorp towards Steynsburg along the R56 via Hennings Cross. Then from Steynsburg towards Nxuba (Cradock) via Hofmeyr along the R390 and then Nxuba towards Komani (Queenstown) via the R61 and vice versa. That detour would be 379km.

The Barkly Pass on the R58 between Elliot and Barkly East has been closed.

There were also reports of a truck and trailer blocking the R58 between Lady Grey and Barkly East close to the Dordrecht turn-off, which led to multiple vehicles getting stuck between Lady Grey and Barkly East.

The Cala Pass on the R410 had multiple fallen trees on a few positions on the pass, and authorities were clearing them for traffic flow.

The Penhoek Pass on the N6 between Komani and Aliwal North was open for traffic, as was the Wapadsberg Pass on the R61 between Graaff-Reinet and Nxuba and the Lootsberg Pass on the N9 between Graaff-Reinet and Middelburg. 

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