
Unusually heavy snowfall brought widespread disruption across South Africa on Saturday, leaving many motorists stranded overnight.
The N3 highway, a key route between Johannesburg and Durban, was severely affected, with several sections closed and detours impassable.
Emergency services worked tirelessly to reach those stuck in their vehicles.
Thania Dhoogra, operations manager for N3 Toll Concession, said it was still unclear how many people were stranded or their conditions.
“Emergency services have been working flat out through the night,” Dhoogra told ENCA.
KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial government reported delivering blankets and meals to some motorists.
Trucks had been parked since Friday, and buses between provinces were stuck for hours, according to Road Traffic Management Corporation’s Simon Zwane.
Muhammad Goolam, a stranded motorist near Harrismith, described spending 13 hours in his car with his children, running low on food supplies.
“We don’t see managing to drive out without assistance,” Goolam told Newzroom Afrika.
Some areas saw up to two meters of snowfall, according to Arrive Alive.
Border posts with Lesotho were closed due to dangerous conditions, with more snow expected, warned South African Weather Services.