Pretoria – Motorists have been warned that heavy rain, strong winds, and reduced visibility were forecast to continue creating hazardous driving conditions.
The National Department of Transport says it has received weather reports from the SA Weather Services regarding the inclement weather conditions that will continue to affect the country’s roads until Friday, (10 January 2025).
“On Wednesday, (8 January 2025), poor visibility as well as slippery roads have been predicted in the following Provinces: KwaZulu-Natal; Mpumalanga, and Limpopo,” the department said.
“Under these conditions, motorists are strongly advised not to drive between 6 pm and 1 am in these three provinces.”
In Limpopo, roads to be affected by these conditions are as follows:
- N1 and R101 from Limpopo to Gauteng,
- N11 from AllDay to Marble Hall,
- R33 from Lephalala via Marble Hall,
- R40 from Phalaborwa to Barberton,
- R534 from Thohoyandou to Makhado
- R71 from Tzaneen to Polokwane
- R81 from Giyani to Polokwane
In Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal, roads to be affected are the following:
- N4, N12, N11, N17, N3, R40 and R33.
“No warning has been issued for Thursday and Friday,”‘ the department said.
“However, Mpumalanga and Limpopo will be affected by strong thundershowers from the early hours of the morning to about 10 am.
“These conditions would lead to poor visibility and slippery roads, particularly on the R573 Moloto Road, from Marble Hall to Pretoria.”
As motorists make their way back from holidays, they are therefore strongly urged to:
- Switch on their headlights during the day.
- Keep a safe following distance with the car in front
- Reduce speed on slippery roads.
- Do not cross bridges where there is water overflow
- Pedestrians must cross streets at marked intersections and wear bright clothing when walking in dark areas
The department said road crashes and fatalities were of great concern, and motorists were urged to take responsibility for their safety.
“As the festive season draws to an end, and due to the current inclement weather conditions, road users are urged to exercise extreme caution while traveling,” the department said.
