Motorists urged to exercise caution due to heavy rainfall and icy conditions

As heavy rainfall continues across South Africa, specifically in Mpumalanga, the MEC for Community Safety, Jackie Macie, is urging motorists to exercise extreme caution while driving. Wet and icy road surfaces are creating hazardous driving conditions, with visibility significantly reduced, particularly at night. Macie emphasized the importance of adhering to several safety measures, including avoiding excessive speed, turning on vehicle lights to ensure visibility, increasing the distance between vehicles, and postponing journeys if possible. He also cautioned against driving through flooded areas and low-lying bridges.

The MEC further cautioned about the possibility of snowfall on the N11 road towards Volksrust and the N3 highway towards KwaZulu-Natal. Additional hazardous conditions include misty weather on certain roads during night and early morning hours. Despite no major accidents reported so far, Macie noted that emergency services and traffic law enforcement officers are maintaining a heightened state of readiness to monitor the evolving situation closely.

Macie stressed that while no significant crashes have been reported yet, it is crucial for all road users to remain vigilant and adjust their driving habits according to the prevailing adverse conditions. He advised everyone to stay informed about the weather developments, especially when traveling.

The impact of the heavy snowfall on Tuesday has been severe, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, affecting communities in regions like Impendle, Kokstad, and Underberg. These areas have been left isolated, with residents cut off from external communication channels. In response to these challenging weather conditions, KwaZulu-Natal's Transport and Human Settlements MEC, Siboniso Duma, announced that specialized teams from the Department of Human Settlements would be dispatched to assist the impacted regions.