This Content Is Only For Subscribers
Following windy and icy weather over the weekend in the Eastern Cape, the province’s Department of Transport went out on Monday to assess the condition of roads affected by snow.
The department took action to close roads that posed a risk to motorists’ safety.
The Barkley Pass on the R58 between Barkly East and Lady Grey is among the roads closed by the department in the province due to heavy snowfall.
Additionally, the N6 at Jamestown, the Lootsberg Pass on the N9, and the Wapadsberg Pass on the R61 were also significantly impacted.
The provincial spokesperson for the department of transport, Unathi Binqose, urged all motorists in the province to avoid mountain passes as snowfall is expected to intensify overnight due to low temperatures.
“We do not expect things to get any better as the nighttime is approaching; we expect that temperatures will plummet in some areas below zero areas such as Barkley, where we do have a mountain pass that is closed due to heavy snowfalls, areas like Matatiele as well as Maletswai.
So we are calling on road users, motorists in particular, to avoid our mountain passes, particularly overnight, – said Binqose.
Poor road infrastructure has emerged as a pressing issue in the province, especially during severe weather conditions such as heavy rains, floods, windstorms, and snowstorms. .
However, Binqose reassured that addressing these infrastructure challenges remains a top priority for the government.
“Issues related to road infrastructure roads and rural roads in particular, as well as rural bridges, are something that of great priority to the government, particularly in this administration, and of course it’s the groundwork that was laid by the administration before,” he said.
