WHILE there has been no structural damage to the national roads traversing KwaZulu-Natal, the N2 and N3 were blocked at several points due to flooding and mudslides.
Sections of the N2 near the old Durban airport at Isipingo, at Prospecton interchange and at Amanzimtoti near the Galleria Mall were flooded on yesterday morning (22 April).
The N3 was partially blocked at Shongweni and the Mariannhill toll plaza due to mudslides. The province has suffered several deaths and millions of rands in damages, mainly to buildings.
Collapsed buildings and walls, enormous sinkholes on inner-city roads, blocked storm water drains and sewer lines, flooded buildings and households, and a sea of mud and debris were left for authorities to confront in the aftermath of the torrential downpour.
No major structural damage has been reported to roads and bridges within Sanral’s jurisdiction, said Dumisani Nkabinde, the roads agency’s Eastern Regional Manager.
However, there would be a recurrence of flooding of the N2 just south of Durban if the rain did not stop long enough, he said, adding sections of the road were on a flood plain.
He said that in addition to regular maintenance of the culverts within Sanral’s jurisdiction, after heavy rains these were checked and cleared of debris.
He also thanked emergency teams and rescue services that assisted following the widespread flooding.
“The safety of motorists and pedestrians using our roads is paramount. Our emergency response teams are working closely with road traffic authorities and other emergency personnel to ensure the safety of all road users,” Nkabinde said.
“Sanral’s primary objectives on the roads is safety. Its investment in technology is improving the quality of post-crash responses and leads to sustained reductions in the response time of emergency vehicles.”
He said that in line with this, national and provincial highways managed by Sanral were being converted into ‘smart roads’ through a freeway management system which includes CCTV cameras that relay the information to Traffic Management Centres and allow operators to detect crashes.
“Freeway management systems have already been deployed in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape and are being expanded and enhanced to ensure that responses to incidents are even more efficient. As our road user, your safety is our concern.”
Nkabinde urged motorists to be extra vigilant during bad weather and advised them to plan their trips in consultation with the Advanced Traveller Information System at www.i-traffic.co.za.