Traffic law enforcement beefed up on N3 as snow forecast for parts of KZN
Last week hundreds of people were left stranded when Van Reenen’s Pass was closed due to the dangerous conditions posed by large amounts of snow and black ice.
The KZN Road Traffic Inspectorate and Transport Infrastructure Unit has established a satelite base in Van Reenen on the N3 ahead of expected snowfall on 30 September and 1 October 2024. Picture: @KZNTransport/X
JOHANNESBURG - Traffic law enforcement has been beefed up along the N3, as measures have been implemented ahead of snowfall forecast for Monday and Tuesday.
Last week hundreds of people were left stranded when Van Reenen’s Pass was closed due to the dangerous conditions posed by large amounts of snow and black ice.
A salt and brine solution has been applied to parts of the N3, specifically along Van Reenen's Pass, ahead of snowfall forecasted for the region.
According to the provincial transport department, the application will reduce adhesion of snow and ice to the road surface.
Personnel from the transport infrastructure unit are also on standby with graders to remove snow and any black ice that may form on the country’s busiest national road.
Graders and a TLBs (Tractor-Loader-Backhoe) are stationed across identified routes to ensure a quick response time for the removal of snow and ice.
Frigid conditions, sweeping in from a Western Cape cold front, will result in light snowfall, rain and strong winds across KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and parts of the western and Eastern Cape on Monday and Tuesday.
The government, meanwhile, has urged South Africans to be cautious as snowy conditions are expected to persist in parts of the country.
Motorists have been urged to move with caution after last week's devasting snowfall that left many stuck on the N3 for hours, with one person dying from hypothermia.
Nomonde Mnukwa of the GCIS said that the public should monitor updates by the weather service.
"The public is advised to take precautions when there is a drop in temperature, dress warmly when venturing outside and in cases of extremely cold weather, cover your mouth to protect your lungs from cold air. Avoid crossing rivers, as heavy rainfall contributes to smaller rivers and low-lying areas filling up quickly, leaving dangerous conditions around parts of an affected area. If caught in a storm, find shelter."