ECape roads reopening

Published Jul 16, 2012

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Roads throughout the Eastern Cape were reopened following a weekend of snow and heavy rainfall, police said on Monday morning.

“There are no more roads closed on this side,” Lt-Col Mzukisi Fatyela said.

The N6 that passes Queenstown and Aliwal North was closed over the weekend due to the bad weather.

Fatyela said while the weather was improving, it was still very cold, with snow on the mountains.

On Sunday Fatyela confirmed a man, 69, and a woman, 44, froze to death in Mqanduli and Mthatha. They were found lying by the roadside.

Three other people drowned in Port Elizabeth, SABC radio reported. Fatyela could not confirm this.

On Sunday paramedics came to the aid of 41 people trapped in the Butha Buthe pass en route to Afri-Ski and the Oxborn Lodge in Lesotho, ER24 spokesman Werner Vermaak said.

Rescuers arrived at the scene at 11am on Sunday.

“They found that almost 30 vehicles were either stuck, or involved in collisions as they skidded on the icy surface,” said Vermaak.

The scene stretched out over 1.5 kilometres. Several people had slight hypothermia and were dehydrated.

A diabetic whose medication had run out was in need of urgent help. Another person with asthma was also treated.

All 41 were transported to a temporary clinic erected in Fouriesburg.

On Monday Vermaak said everyone had been cleared from the area and the road leading from the lodges to the border should be reopened later in the day.

 * Please send your weather pics with your name and location to [email protected]- Sapa

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