by Mphathi Nxumalo
Durban - There was traffic chaos after two buses and two taxis collided in separate incidents in Durban on Monday morning.
This as rains continued to fall over the city and snow closed major roads in the province.
The authorities have warned of dangerous conditions on roads in KwaZulu-Natal, with more cold weather expected and the sun expected to put in an appearance only on Thursday.
Thirty people were injured when two buses crashed in Chris Hani Road (North Coast) Road near the N2 on and off-ramps.
One of the buses had been travelling from Phoenix towards Durban when it smashed into the side of another bus.
The entire roof was ripped off one of the buses.
Traffic heading to Durban from the north, including Ntuzuma, Inanda, Phoenix, uMhlanga, and Duffs Road was brought to a standstill for more than an hour.
Metro Police spokesman, Inspector Sibonelo Mchunu, said 13 people were seriously injured and they were taken by ambulance to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Phoenix.
According to paramedics ER24, a taxi driver believed to be 33 was injured in a collision with another taxi on the M35 at Philani Valley before Isipingo.
ER24 spokesman, Chitra Bodasing, said only the two drivers were at the scene.
According to Snow Report SA, the following roads were closed on Monday morning: Kingscote cutting, between Underberg and Swartberg; the R74 between Bergville and Harrismith; and the R617, between Underberg and Boston.
SA Weather Service forecaster, Julius Mahlangu, said on Sunday the rain was expected to continue until Wednesday evening, while snowfall in the south of the province and Midlands, would continue until Tuesday evening.
Snow fell as far south as Kokstad and Matatiele, while the Midlands, including much of the Drakensberg, was also seeing its fair share of the white stuff.The lowest temperature was recorded at Giant’s Castle with the mercury dropping to zero and rising to only 4 degrees on Sunday.
Conditions on the roads were slippery.
Con Roux, the commercial manager for the N3 Toll Concession which manages and operates the N3 Toll Route between Cedara, near Hilton in KwaZulu-Natal, and Heidelberg in Gauteng, on Sunday warned: that, “With light snow flurries and sleet starting to fall in high-lying areas along the N3 Toll Route, motorists and transport operators are advised to avoid the area, if possible.
“This is because the snow has created black ice which makes the roads slippery when driving,” Roux added.
He said parts of the R74 at Oliviershoek Pass had also been closed and encouraged road users to be considerate when driving. “Emergency teams’ ability to address difficult situations and clear the route as quickly as possible depends heavily on the compliance of all road users,” he said.
Netcare’s Chris Botha on Sunday said a vehicle had overturned on the N3 between Warden and Harrismith. “Reports from the scene indicate that the vehicle slid on the ice-covered road and overturned,” Botha said.
“Fortunately for the occupants of the Toyota Quantum minibus, they only had minor injuries,” he said. The injured were taken to a hospital in Harrismith for treatment, Botha added.