Some roads are open, after they were temporarily closed, due to inclement weather.
The Western Cape Department of Infrastructure announced the opening of the Swartberg Pass, on Tuesday.
Tertius Simmers, the MEC of Infrastructure in the Western Cape, said roadworks on the pass will now resume, and motorists should expect additional travel time while work continues.
Similarly, while snow blanketed houses and communities, the Department of Transport in KZN, said its focus would shift to assist isolated communities in Impendle, Kokstad and Underberg.
Sboniso Duma, MEC of Transport in KZN and Thembi Simelane, Minister of Human Settlements, visited Kokstad and Impendle rural homes, that were leaking, while blanketed by snow.
Moreover, network and cellular signals were weak, leaving residents unable to access emergency services and to communicate with the outside world.
“There are many other communities in deep rural areas in Underberg, Kokstad and the border between KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape that have been severely affected by the snow” said Duma.
Several roads were also reopened, including the R34 – Richards Bay, Eshowe to Mpumalanga, the R33, R617 – to Bulwer, the R56 to Kokstad and Eastern Cape and Midway to Mooi River.
The Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said reported snow in large parts of the province, threatened livestock, especially cattle, sheep and goats.
The Department urged farmers to take necessary precautions such as moving livestock to a shelter, increase feed rations, check water troughs regularly to ensure adequate supply, and to protect winter crops.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) warned damaging winds at Yellow Level 2 would continue over the Northern parts of the West Coast District, and the Witzenberg Municipality in the Western Cape, as well as over the Namakwa District in the Northern Cape except the north-eastern parts of Khai-Ma municipality, until Thursday evening.
As a result, extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the Khai-Ma, Nama-Khoi and Kamiesberg local municipalities in the Northern Cape, as well as Matzikama and Bergrivier municipalities in the Western Cape.
Icy conditions with light snow are expected to persist over the interior of KwaZulu-Natal, which may result in isolated loss of vulnerable livestock and crops.
Picture: Supplied