Gqeberha, 11 December 2024 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) is advising road users to take note of construction zones that will affect traffic flow on key routes of its Eastern Cape road network during the festive season.
“With the festive season approaching and the imminent increase in traffic volumes, we are working hard to ensure that our network is safe and ready to accommodate holiday traffic,” said Mbulelo Peterson, Regional Manager for SANRAL Southern Region.
Peterson said that during this time of year, the N2, N9 and N6 into the province are particularly busy with road users travelling home from the Gauteng and Western Cape. The N2 and R61 inland will see increased outbound traffic towards the coastal areas as holiday makers visit the coast.
Affected routes will include:
N2 between Makhanda (Grahamstown) and Peddie: No blasting is scheduled in December for the N2 upgrade between Makhanda and the Fish River Pass. Partial closures will be in effect between km 84 and km 79 with single-lane traffic flow allowed 24 hours a day until Thursday, 12 December 2024. From 12 December 2024 to 6 January 2025, the road will reopen for two-way traffic.
N2 between Butterworth and East London: Roadworks on the N2 Ndabakazi Interchange will cease on 11 December 2024 and resume on 6 January 2025. Traffic accommodation will continue via a two-way bypass with temporary speed humps to moderate speed.
N2 between KwaBhaca (Mt Frere) and EmaXesibeni (Mt Ayliff): Roadworks will cease on 12 December 2024 and resume on 9 January 2025. The road will be completely open to two-way traffic together with the required traffic accommodation signage.
N6 between Maletswai (Aliwal North) and James Calata (Jamestown): Roadworks will continue throughout the festive season. There will be no stop/go measures in place.
R61 between Port St Johns and Port Edward: Road users traveling on the R61 between Mthatha and Port St Johns must take caution when travelling through the construction zone and must anticipate stop/go closures on this section of the R61. Motorists must please observe the posted construction signs and speed limits.
R63 between Bhisho and the N2 past Qumrha: Operations will cease on Thursday, 12 December 2024 and resume on Monday, 6 January 2025. During this period, there will be no stop/go controls and a two-way traffic system will be implemented.
R390 between Nxuba (Cradock) and Hofmeyr: Operations will stop on Saturday, 14 December 2024 and a two-way traffic system will be in place until Monday, 6 January 2025.
R56 between Matatiele and Kokstad: Operations will cease on Friday, 13 December 2024 to resume on Monday, 6 January 2025 with a two-way traffic system being implemented.
Motorists are advised to take note of the affected routes and to consider this in planning their road trips.
“We appeal to all road users to be extra vigilant on the roads during this busy period. Ensuring safety on our roads is a collective responsibility for all road users including motorists, pedestrians and the general public,” said Peterson.
“As the construction industry prepares to shut down for the holidays, SANRAL’s routine road maintenance (RRM) teams will be on standby to work with road traffic authorities to respond to any incidents that might arise on our network during this time,” said Peterson.
First Published here: MyZA.co.za
Did You Know?
- Cradock was founded in 1813 on the banks of the Great Fish River to cater for the migratory farmers who settled in this ruggedly beautiful area with its excellent grazing, abundant water and healthy climate.
- Cradock was officially renamed Nxuba on 26 August 2022. This change was officially gazetted by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, and it was part of a broader effort to rename towns with colonial or apartheid legacies in the Eastern Cape.
- Home to an actual Harry Potter’s grave: A British soldier with the name Harry Potter, who died during the South African War (Anglo-Boer War), is buried in the Cradock cemetery. His grave was discovered in 2002, long before the fictional character became a global phenomenon.
- Location of the last surrender of arms in the South African War: Cradock was the final place in South Africa where arms were officially laid down at the end of the South African War, with the event occurring four days after the Peace of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
- Birthplace of Afrikaans publication: The first-ever article published in the Afrikaans language appeared in the local newspaper, the Cradock News, on December 4, 1868. This was a report on the separation of the Eastern Cape from the Western Cape, and the paper achieved the largest circulation in the country at the time.
- Second oldest cricket ground and library in South Africa: Cradock’s cricket ground and library are both the second oldest in the entire country, a testament to the town’s early establishment and development of civic amenities.
- Host to a total solar eclipse viewing by a Prime Minister: In 1942, the South African statesman and Prime Minister Jan Smuts came specifically to Cradock to witness a total eclipse of the sun, as the town was the best location for viewing the celestial event.