Three people were killed and the N3 to Durban was closed on Thursday morning after a truck veered into another lane, leading to a massive pile-up, a KwaZulu-Natal transport department spokesperson said.
Zinhle Mngomezulu said a truck travelling to Johannesburg left its lane at about 6am and ended up facing the traffic that was heading to Durban.
It sideswiped another truck and then collided with another two trucks, leaving two drivers and a passenger dead and the trucks’ loads scattered across the main route between Johannesburg and Durban.
The highway towards Durban was closed to allow for a clean-up and was expected to remain closed between the Engen One Stop and Tugela Plaza until at least mid-afternoon.
Motorists travelling to Durban were advised to take the R103 via Colenso and return to the N3 on the Bergville road.
Heavy trucks using the highway were stopped and ordered to wait until the scene was cleared to avoid backlogs and congestion on the alternate route.
A motorist travelling in the area said hundreds of trucks could be seen parked in a row along the closed highway.
The road was also closed most of Tuesday after another massive accident also involving trucks. — Sapa