Eastern Cape mountain passes reopen as snowfall subsides

Most mountain passes in the Eastern Cape that were closed following heavy snowfall have been reopened as snowfall subsides across the province.

The Eastern Cape Department of Transport said roads remain wet and slippery and urged motorists to exercise extreme caution when travelling through affected areas.

READ | Which parts of South Africa saw the most snow on Monday?

Poor visibility

Fog and drizzle are also being reported on Penhoek Pass along the N6 between Komani and James Calata, resulting in poor visibility.

Department spokesperson Unathi Binqose said the reopening of the passes was a welcome development after several major routes were affected by road closures.

“Much welcome developments for us, after yesterday road closures which affected the flow of traffic on some of our major roads including the N9 and the N6,” Binqose said.

He warned, however, that motorists should not assume that conditions had returned to normal.

“We know that we are not out of the woods yet because conditions remain wet and slippery in those areas and with the temperature still very low things can still change at any moment,” he said.

Extreme caution

Binqose urged motorists approaching mountain passes to exercise extreme caution.

Several high-lying routes were closed on Monday after heavy snowfall affected parts of the province, with motorists becoming stranded in some areas.

The reopening comes as a severe winter weather system continues to affect parts of South Africa, bringing snowfall, rain, freezing temperatures and hazardous driving conditions.

Weather conditions can change rapidly

Government has also warned that road and weather conditions can change rapidly.

Roads that are open could be closed again if conditions deteriorate, while previously closed routes will only reopen once they have been assessed and cleared.

Government spokesperson William Baloyi urged members of the public to remain vigilant and rely on official weather, traffic and emergency services updates when planning journeys.

Motorists are advised to reduce their speed, maintain a safe following distance and use headlights in areas affected by fog, drizzle and poor visibility.