The search for the remains of up to five people who drowned after their vehicle was swept away by heavy flood waters near Amatikulu, was continuing, the KwaZulu-Natal road traffic inspectorate said on Sunday.
Representative Colin Govender said only three bodies had been recovered by Saturday and police were continuing to search.
The Toyota Hilux 2,8 litre, carrying the driver and seven nurses, was swept away after the driver underestimated the water flow over a small bridge and continued to cross.
Transport MEC S’bu Ndebele on Saturday expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased.
”It is a great pity to loose so many productive lives. It is a great loss to the Amatikulu community, the Catherine Booth Hospital administration and the province at large,” he said in a statement.
Coastal rains, which are set to continue, have flooded some local access roads and causeways, particularly in the rural areas.
Meanwhile, thrill-seekers looking to play in the snow were also urged to stay at home — the white powder was gone.
Govender said all roads linking the coastal province with the Free State and Gauteng were now open and snow-free. He said heavy rains over the last 36 hours have washed away the snow, but have left the road surface waterlogged.
The traffic law enforcer urged people travelling in 120km/h zones to slow down to 100km/h for safety’s sake.
Govender was on the road when he spoke to Sapa around mid-morning and said he was clocking many motorists at speeds between 130 and 140km/h, which under the circumstances was reckless.
Staff at the Himeville Arms and at the Sani Pass hotel also reported that the snow there had all melted and had been washed away by rain. They cautioned that roads in the area were very slippery.
Rescue personnel would also in the late morning sortie up the mountain to collect a group of about 30 stranded hikers at a chalet towards to top of Sani Pass. They have reportedly been stranded there since Thursday when the snow came down and have now run out of food. – Sapa