Motorists advised to postpone travel plans amid heavy snowfall

Motorists are being urged to stay at home and avoid using the N3 from KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng as relief and rescue efforts are meted out to those entrapped in the snow in the Midlands.

Hundreds of commuters are trapped in their vehicles after heavy snow fell over areas around Van Reenen’s pass from late last night.

The N3 Toll Concession says graders are in the process of removing the snow.

Spokesperson Thania Dhoogra says the N3 remains closed.

“It’s not just the N3 that’s affected, the entirety of the area and all arterial roads around there are being affected with many people being stranded. It is putting emergency services under extreme stress and strain right now as they’re trying to get to everyone, and they are trying to keep the roadway open. We are trying to get mobility restored as quickly as possible but unfortunately, we don’t control the weather. We are in close contact with the weather services who are keeping us updated about what’s going on and our own people on the ground, but it is a really difficult situation right now.”

Travellers seeking refuge

Scores of motorists travelling along the N3 last night had to seek refuge at petrol stations in Harrismith as a result of the freeway closure.

Traveller Erica Pickston, together with her husband and three children, were en route from Johannesburg to the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal yesterday afternoon when they were forced to halt their journey due to the inclement weather.

“We left Joburg yesterday around half past three and towards Harrismith last night it started snowing very heavily that you can’t even see the lines on the road and you put the bright’s on and it just bounces back. So, we drove very slowly into Harrismith at the garage, and we made a bed in the car. There are five of us, three kids and two adults and we made our little nest and we tried to sleep through the night.”

KwaZulu-Natal residents warned of severe weather conditions: 

Snow in the Free State

The Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality has cautioned road users and the community around the eastern Free State to be aware of the snowfall that is happening in Qwaqwa, Harrismith and Kestell.

Disaster Management Coordinator Sthembiso Mthombeni says there are many major roads that are not accessible in the area and many people are trapped in those roads.

Affected roads are N3, Van Reenen’s Pass to Harrismith, R57 from Qwaqwa to Kestell, and R712 from Bethlehem to Harrismith via Qwaqwa.

Mthombeni has requested motorists who want to use roads in the area to delay their trips until the roads are cleared.

“As we speak now, there are many cars that are trapped here within these roads, and we are trying our level best to rescue all these affected people. As we speak now in Qwaqwa, there are tourists who were going to Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge, they are also trapped. We humbly request every person to remain calm and should remain in the house. Should anything happen don’t hesitate to call the police – they communicate with us disaster management (and) we will be able to see what to do.”

Three ports of entry closed due to heavy snowfall:

-Additional reporting by Salma Patel