Mop up underway in the Garden Route, but authorities remain on high alert

The Garden Route Multi Agency Command,said it remains on high alert, following a forecast of another cold front, to hit the area, from Sunday into Monday. 

The Region received significant amounts of rain this week-300ml in Plettenberg Bay, 258 ml in George and 181ml in De Rust.

Mop- up operations are underway.

Rescue operations on Friday, included a mother and her baby, who were successfully airlifted and transported to hospital, two people were also rescued from Meiringspoort, 64 at Cango Mountain Resort, who are accommodated elsewhere.

In addition, two people will be extracted from the Gamka Nature Reserve, while medical supplies were dropped off.

A further 35 food parcels were also delivered in the Gamka South area.

Inaccessible areas in Oudtshoorn, affecting some 250 people, are Rietvlei, Middelplaas, Kleinspoort and Bakenskraal . These areas are also on the list for food parcels.

In the Knysna and Plettenberg Bay municipal areas, a significant number of residents are still being accommodated in community halls.

All main routes are accessible. However, residents and travellers are advised to refrain from using secondary roads and gravel roads, as these remain wet and inaccessible.

𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗗 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗦 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘:  

Oudtshoorn

Open Roads:

TR16/10 — Murraysburg to Graaff-Reinet (road flooded but passable)

TR34/2 — Prince Albert to Klaarstroom

TR31/5 — Huisrivierpas (rockfall cleared)

TR1/2 — Noll to Harold (debris removed)

Closed Roads:

DRE TR33/4 — Meiringspoort (poort flooded)

TR44/1 — Avontuur to Eastern Cape boundary (road flooded)

TR2/12 — Natures Valley to N2 (road flooded)

TR58/1 — Molteno Pass, Beaufort West to Loxton (road flooded)

TR33/2 — Oudtshoorn to Mossel Bay (expected to reopen by 13h00 on 8 May 2026)

Uniondale

Closed Roads:

MR401 — Uniondale Poort (poort flooded)

MR401 — Uniondale town (bridge approaches affected)

MR399 — Avontuur (road flooded)

MR368 — Hoekplaaspad (river overtopping road)

DR1845 — Toorwater/Nietgenaamd (road and low-level structures flooded)

DR1846 — Warmbad (road and low-level structures flooded)

DR1843 — Vaalwater (road and low-level structures flooded)

DR1840 — Hartbeesrivier (road and low-level structures flooded)

DR1837 — Dwarsfontein (road and low-level structures flooded)

Bo-Langkloof

Open Roads:

DR1640 — Harold (trees removed)

Closed Roads:

DR1645 — Waboomskraal (trees on road / tree over road)

DR1659 — Eensaamheid (river overtopping road)

DR1647 — Noll (water overtopping road)

DR1650 — Daskop (river overtopping road)

DR1654 — Molenrivier (tree over road)

DR1653 — Kykoe (tree over road)

DR1660 — Pietersrivier (water overtopping road)

Oudtshoorn East

Closed Roads:

DR1707 — Middelplaas (Meiringspoort River flooding)

DR1694 — Le Rouxstasie (Olifants River flooding)

DR1692 — Van Wykskraal (Olifants River flooding)

DR1673 — Kamanassiedam (Olifants River flooding)

DR1668 — Kleinspoort (Kammanassie River flooding)

DR1704 — Vlakteplaas (Olifants River flooding)

DR1694 — Vergelegen (river flooding)

DR1713 — Oude Muragie (rivers flooding)

Oudtshoorn West

Open Roads:

DR1671 — Highgate (Olifants River flooding nearby)

DR1688 — Old Concrete Road (debris removed)

Closed Roads:

MR369 — Swartberg Pass (heavy rain)

DR1677 — Wynandsrivier (river flooding)

MR358 — Volmoed (Olifants River flooding)

DR1649 — Paardebond (river flooding)

MR363 — Matjiesrivier (low-level structure overflowing)

Calitzdorp

Closed Roads:

DR1709 — Groenfontein (road flooded)

DR1706 — Groenfontein (road and low-level structures flooded)

DR1681 — Middelpad (road and low-level structures flooded)

DR1675 — Doornkloof (road and low-level structures flooded)

DR1676 — Vleirivier (road and low-level structures flooded)

DR1690 — Gais (road and low-level structures flooded)

DR1674 — Jagberg (road and low-level structures flooded)

Ladismith

Closed Roads:

MR309 — Seweweekspoort (road and low-level structures flooded)

Van Wyksdorp

Closed Roads:

DR1666 — Baviaanskrans (road and low-level structures flooded)

Knysna / Plettenberg Bay

Open Roads:

MR351 — Barrington (trees on road)

MR394 — Keurboomstrand (trees over road)

Closed Roads:

MR390 — Kruisvallei (trees on road / flooding)

MR355 — 7 Passes (trees on road)

DR1615 — Swart Rivier (river overtopping)

MR346 — Buffelsbaai (river overtopping)

DR1888 — Keurboomstrand (closed signs in place)

DR1613 — Phantom Pass (trees over road)

George West

Closed Roads:

DR1602 — Kleinplaas (river overtopping)

DR1633 — Jonkersberg (river overtopping / structure under construction)

DR1630 — Leeukloof (river overtopping)

DR1581 — Geelbeksvlei (river overtopping)

DR1617 — Nuwedrif (river overtopping)

DR1639 — Geelhoutboomberg (road underwater)

DR1634 — Searles (road underwater)

DR1624 — Kleinfontein (road underwater)

George East

Partially Open:

MR355 — 7 Passes near Geelhoutboom River (one lane open; half lane washed away and culvert exposed)

Closed Roads:

DR1625 — Die Vleie Oos (river overtopping)

DR1615 — Swart Rivier (flooding)

Mossel Bay

Closed Roads:

DR1604 — Haelkraal (river overtopping)

DR1587 — Donaldshoogte / Botlierskop (river overtopping)

DR1578 — Sorgfontein (river overtopping)

DR1525 — Melkhoutfontein (river overtopping)

Albertinia

Closed Roads:

MR337 — Albertinia (river overtopping)

Heidelberg

Closed Roads:

DR1266 — Gwarrievallei (river in flood)