Heavy snowfall in KZN claims a life

One person has died from exposure to severe cold after heavy snowfall blanketed the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Midlands overnight.

The victim had collapsed in a shopping centre at Merrivale after spending the night in a taxi stuck in the snow on the N3 travelling from Johannesburg towards KZN.

The taxi had stopped for refreshments when the incident occurred.

Midlands EMS Howick crews, along with Midlands EMS rescue medics attempted to stabilise and resuscitate the victim but the patient was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital having succumbed to hypothermia.

Meanwhile, the National Department of Transport says efforts are being made to deploy the South African National Defence Force to rescue commuters trapped in their vehicles along the N3.

Snow forces road closures in KZN – Deputy Transport Minister shares more on govt. interventions

This comes as the South African Weather Service has issued a level eight weather warning for the south-western areas of KZN from about Ladysmith to Giants Castle in the Midlands.

Commuters travelling on the N3 became entrapped after heavy snowfalls last night.

Motorists who spent the night on N3 last night spoke about the challenges they encountered.

“Yesterday we were travelling down to Margate and then we got stuck on the N3, so we have been travelling for 26 hours now. We spent the night on the entry card for 19 hours and then we got directed so we just coming to refresh and get some drinks hoping that we don’t get stopped again,” says one motorist.

Another adds: “It was just because you trying to warm up the car but now you’re also thinking of the battery thinking of fuel and we don’t know whether the garage was the closest one, so we got stuck for hours … yeah we had to spend the night in the car, we never slept in, so we slept in the car.”

Truck drivers who are amongst road users left stranded are calling on law enforcement agencies to embark on patrols for their safety and that of their cargo.

Motorists, truck drivers trapped in KZN snow

Some drivers say whilst they are concerned about running out of fuel and food, their safety is also compromised as criminals could take advantage of this opportunity.

“I think that is a better situation to let the government send the police to stick around to move around with a police van because you will never know the criminals are also looking to the situation. They plan ahead, they are up to date and they are planning to maybe come around and do bad things. It will be better for the government wherever the trucks are stopping like this to send the police to move around,” one of the drivers says.

Humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers, in the meantime, has set up a relief centre at a community hall at Estcourt in the midlands of the province to provide assistance and hot meals to those commuters who are trapped in the snow.

Founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman says his teams are also working with the N3 Toll Concession and Emergency Services and driving behind the graders removing snow from the roads to reach those motorists who are trapped.