Large veld fires forced the closure of the N3 highway near Harrismith and left hundreds of cattle dead on Monday. The highway was reopened later in the day.
Andy Visser, spokesperson for the N3 Toll Concession Company (N3TC) said light-vehicle traffic from Durban had to be diverted at Bergville, through Oliviershoek Pass to Harrismith. Durban-bound traffic was diverted from Harrismith through the Oliviershoek Pass to Bergville before joining the N3.
She said trucks and heavy-duty vehicles had to be ”stacked” on the N3 until the smoke had cleared.
The fires and poor visibility were worst in the Swinburne and Montrose areas near Van Reenen’s Pass.
She said she had received a report of one vehicle in the Van Reenen’s Pass area that caught alight. The occupants managed to escape the vehicle and were rescued by N3TC staff.
Nicky Bushby, editor of the Harrismith Chronicle, said authorities had closed both lanes of the N3 at Van Reenen’s Pass. ”The winds here are terrible,” she said.
Earlier, KwaZulu-Natal transport spokesperson Nonkululeko Mbathata said that traffic headed towards KwaZulu-Natal was being diverted through Harrismith.
There were also unconfirmed reports that some trucks on the N3 had caught alight. Visser could not confirm whether any trucks had caught alight.
Sheila Russell, who runs Wyford Guest Farm near Van Reenen’s Pass, said: ”The smoke has been absolutely horrendous. My landline has gone so maybe the poles have been burnt.”
The fire started on a farm near Swinburne during the night and high winds early in the morning had fanned flames.
”My husband is busy fighting a fire at the moment,” said Karen Sparks from the Mount Olive Stables near the small town of Swinburne. She and her husband had received reports that three cars had gone up in flames.
”I am not sure if it is because they crashed. You can hardly see here. We managed to get our horses out of the stables except for one. I don’t know what’s happened to our 73 heifers.”
Sparks said several farmers in the area and the houses of their workers were threatened by the blaze.
Geraldine Thompson, a resident in the area, said her eyes were sore and she could hardly breathe because of the heavy smoke. ”Oh my God. My doors are on fire. Can you phone me later?” she said as the line went dead. — Sapa