Gqeberha, 21 September 2024 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has issued a cautionary warning to all road users in the Eastern Cape, urging extra vigilance due to inclement weather affecting much of its road network. Motorists are advised to avoid certain roads where severe weather conditions, including snowfall, are expected to significantly impact driving conditions.
Key routes likely to be affected include:
- N6: Penhoek Pass between Komani and Jamestown (James Calata)
- R58: Between Khowa (formerly Elliot) and Barkly East
- N10: Between Middelburg and Hanover
- N9: From Graaff-Reinet to Middelburg
- R61: Between Graaff-Reinet and Cradock
- R67: Nico Malan Pass between Fort Beaufort to Whittlesea
In areas where snowfall is expected to be particularly heavy, SANRAL will implement temporary road closures for safety reasons. The closures will affect these sections:
- Penhoek Pass on the N6 between Komani and Jamestown (James Calata)
- N9, Section 6 between Graaff Reinet and Middelburg
- Wapadsberg Pass on the R61, Section 2 between Graaff Reinet and Middelburg
“SANRAL advises road users to be especially cautious. Snowfall in high-altitude areas creates hazardous driving conditions, and we urge drivers to stay alert and consider postponing non-essential travel,” said Mbulelo Peterson, SANRAL’s Regional Manager for the Southern Region.
Motorists are encouraged to stay updated on road conditions.
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.