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Major South African Highway Reopens Following Severe Snowstorm

Snowfall on farmlands near Warden, Free State province. Photographer: Wikus De Wet/AFP/Getty Images (WIKUS DE WET/Photographer: Wiku De Wet/AFP/Ge)

(Bloomberg) -- South Africa’s N3 highway is now open to traffic after a two-day closure caused by severe snowfalls, which left road users stranded in the nation’s KwaZulu-Natal and Free State provinces.

Traffic authorities fully cleared the backlog of vehicles, restoring mobility on the route from Tugela Plaza and Harrismith, the N3 Toll Concession said in a statement.

“Although the road is now safe enough for travel, we remind drivers to plan ahead and be prepared for any eventuality,” N3TC Chief Operating Officer Thania Dhoogra said.

The storm, described as highly unusual for this time of year in South Africa, brought thick snow, black ice, and gridlock to Van Reenen’s Pass, with reports of a 30-kilometer (18.6-mile) traffic backlog near Harrismith. Two people died of hypothermia, emergency services said.

 

Beyond the transport disruptions, the snowfall has raised concerns for livestock farmers in the affected provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State, and the Eastern Cape. 

“The type of support farmers will need will become clearer once road conditions improve, and the scale of the challenge is better understood,” said Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber.

While the full impact of the storm on agriculture remains unclear, authorities are monitoring the situation closely, Sihlobo said.

(Updates to show highway has opened in first paragraph.)

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