KwaZulu-Natal’s latest snowfall is putting the province’s road infrastructure under renewed pressure, with authorities warning that freezing conditions could cause damage well beyond the immediate disruption to traffic.
Several areas, including Kokstad, Underberg, Matatiele and Clifton near Nottingham Road, have experienced snowfall, prompting the activation of the province’s Snowfall Response Plan.
The R617 near Kokstad has been closed after a truck became stranded, while motorists have been diverted to the R56. The Road Traffic Inspectorate has also been deployed to restrict access to hazardous routes.
KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma is urging residents to avoid unnecessary journeys, particularly those travelling to snow-affected areas for recreational purposes.
“We are requesting motorists to delay their trips and members of the public to remain indoors, as prevention is better than cure,” Duma said.
Road maintenance teams and graders have been deployed to clear snow and prevent dangerous accumulation on key routes. The province’s response plan aims to remove snow before it reaches depths that could make roads impassable.
However, authorities are also concerned about the longer-term impact of increasingly erratic weather on road infrastructure.
Duma said water and ice entering existing cracks in roads can worsen the damage when temperatures fall, potentially contributing to larger potholes and deterioration of road surfaces.
He linked these conditions to climate change and said the impact of extreme weather on transport infrastructure would form part of discussions at the provincial Transport Indaba scheduled for October.
The latest snowfall therefore presents a dual challenge for KwaZulu-Natal: keeping motorists safe in the immediate term while addressing the growing strain that extreme weather places on the province’s roads.
Authorities remain on high alert and are urging motorists to check conditions before travelling, avoid closed routes and postpone non-essential journeys.
With snow continuing in parts of the province, officials say public cooperation will be critical to preventing motorists from becoming stranded and allowing emergency and road maintenance teams to respond effectively.