MOTORISTS stranded on the N3 since last night due to heavy snowfall said they sat ‘terrified’ in the pitch dark with no food or water.
Many said they took turns to sleep, fearful they would come attack.
The extreme weather conditions have resulted in the closure of the N3 between Harrismith and Tugela Toll Plaza and the R617 between Kokstad and Underberg.
Shantal Pillay, 46, was returning from Johannesburg to her Chase Valley home, in Pietermaritzburg, with her husband, 71-year-old mother and three children aged 19, 16 and 13.
“We left Johannesburg at 4.30pm on Friday. We reached Harrismith around 7.30pm and only found out at that point that the entire N3 had been closed due to the snow.”
Pillay said there was nothing they could do and just remained in their vehicle.
“Our last meal was at 6.30pm. We have no food and water. It was freezing cold. It was a very rough and scary experience. It was so dark around us and we were taking turns staying up.
“Despite the circumstances we are trying to stay positive and hope that they will receive help soon,” said Pillay.
Priscilla Naidoo, 54, from Johannesburg, is stranded about 4.5km away from Montrose.
She is travelling with her mother, 75, and 33-year-old daughter.
“We are travelling to Durban to visit family. We left Johannesburg at 2.30pm on Friday and we have been stuck in the traffic since 6pm.”
Naidoo said their last meal was lunch on Friday.
“We have some water and a few snacks. We have some fuel and just one blanket. It is extremely cold. The snow is so thick that we cannot even open our car doors. We hardly slept last night because we were fearful. We were also praying that the roads would be cleared by this morning and we could continue with our journey,” said Naidoo.
A Verulam man who asked not to be named, said he and his Rambhajan group were stranded near Curries Post.
“We came off the N3 because the roads were bad and we could not continue. We are on our way to Lenasia with our Rambhajan group. We were book to play. I am in an SUV and we also have guys in a taxi following us.
“As of now, we are just trying to find a new route to get there. I think we are driving along the R103. It’s warm inside the vehicle but outside it is about 5 degrees,” he said.
Prem Balram, the head of Reaction Unit South Africa, said they had been inundated with calls from stranded motorists since 4am.
“The callers were concerned for the wellbeing of the elderly and children who had not had access to food, water and medication for approximately 12 hours, in freezing cold temperatures. Our helicopter cannot get to families because it has been grounded due to heavy snowfall, fog, rain and poor visibility along the route.”
In a statement, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) in KwaZulu-Natal, said the Provincial Disaster Management Centre was coordinating multi-sectoral interventions to provide relief and facilitate the clearing of roads where necessary.
“The severe weather has resulted in the closure of the N3 between Harrismith and Tugela Toll, as well as the R617 between Kokstad and Underberg. Additionally, routes such as the N2 Ingeli and N3 Mooi-River are under close observation.”
The statement urged residents planning to travel to postpone their journey due to the current hazardous conditions.
“For those already on the road, please exercise extreme caution and avoid speeding, as the roads have become dangerously slippery. Efforts are being made by disaster management teams to reach stranded motorists and provide necessary assistance.”