All mountain passes in the Eastern Cape that were closed due to snowfall have reopened to traffic.
Transport provincial spokesperson Unathi Binqose says that while the snow on the roads has melted, motorists should remain cautious as the roads are still wet and slippery.
Binqose adds that the old R61 road at Mlengana Pass in Port St Johns has partially collapsed due to a mudslide and another bridge at Sdubi in Cofimvaba is structurally compromised and may be closed soon.
“Our challenge now is the threat of rock falls and mudslides threatening the very same mountain passes as the soil is too segregated. Some rural parts have also been affected by the heavy rainfalls that continue to plummet our province with mudslides reported in the Port St Johns area while bridges are showing signs of structural damage in the Chris Hani district,” says Binqose.
Assessments are ongoing to determine the next course of action
Eastern Cape floods | Latest update on the floods
Meanwhile, the inclement weather affecting parts of the Eastern Cape is clearing after flash floods devastated the province. The Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMB) and Buffalo City Municipality were the hardest hit, with over four thousand residents displaced and ten fatalities reported. Mop-up operations are currently underway.
Acting Director for Safety and Security in NMB Metro, Shadrack Sibiya says efforts are focused on restoring normalcy.
Sibiya said, “As the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro we are busy with mop-up operations. We have been advised at around about 10 the weather conditions are going to start clearing, and despite the warning that we received yesterday that it will be a level six, it has not materialized. And hopefully, because of that, we are able to actually see that all those people affected are back to their normal lives.”
Warnings were issued for snow, rain and strong winds in multiple provinces:
