By Zanele Makola
On Sunday 22 September 2024, the N3 remained closed at Van Reenen’s Pass as hazardous conditions persisted. The condition has claimed the life of a 39-year-old woman who was exposed to the cold weather . Alternative roads have been opened and rescue operations continue.
A multidisciplinary rescue and recovery team including the South African Air Force (SAAF), Midlands EMS Howick crews, Midlands EMS Rescue Medics, and DCD Protected Mobility, were working non-stop to clear the area between Van Reenen’s Pass and Swinburne (Mentrose) of stranded trucks and light motor vehicles after heavy snowfalls.
The operation manager of the N3 Toll Concession, Thalia Dhoogra, mentioned that the team faced significant challenges because road users were attempting to bypass road closure points and were ignoring safety instructions.
“We know it has been a long, bitterly cold and tiring weekend, and we understand that you just want to be mobile again, but please work with the disaster management teams, not against them. When clear instructions are ignored, or opposed, it puts an additional strain on resources and brings Rescue efforts to a halt, negatively impacting on everyone,” said Dhoogra.
Dhoogra said that by late Sunday afternoon, road incident management teams had begun to clear trucks and light motor vehicles caught in the gridlock between Van Reenen’s Pass and Swinburne.
The KZN MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs, Thulasizwe Buthelezi said, “As of last night, there were a total of 1823 vehicles that were at some point stuck on the N3 between Van Reenen’s Pass, through Montrose, up to the Mooi River Plaza.
According to Buthelezi, since Sunday morning the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) had been assisting in rescue operation. The areas most affected include Ladysmith, Berryville, Estcourt, and uMgungundlovu District. Most roads which had been closed because of the snowfall had been cleared and reopened for traffic on Monday morning.
“ The Road Traffic Inspectorate has worked beyond the call of duty to remove the snow on the roads, and therefore the situation is under control,” said Buthelezi.
All the motorists who had been trapped in Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape had been rescued, said the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).
