Reports coming in indicate that it has been snowing heavily overnight in many parts of the Eastern Cape, with lighter falls reported elsewhere including in Grahamstown.
MAJOR roads were closed throughout the Eastern Cape as heavy snowfalls blanketed the province in an icy winter snap yesterday .
Arrive Alive spokesperson Tshepo Machaea said the six roads closed yesterday because of heavy snowfalls were:
l The R67 on Nico Malan Pass;
l R63 between Pearston and Somerset East;
l R61 between Graaff-Reinet and Cradock;
l N6 between Jamestown and Queenstown;
l N9 between Graaff-Reinet and Middleburg; and
l R58 between Barkly East and Elliot.
By 5pm yesterday, three of the roads had been re opened .
Machaea warned that there could be more road closures today and urged motorists to use coastal routes where possible. The freezing weather in the Eastern Cape was accompanied by two accidents yesterday, in which three people were injured.
“The one was in Lady Grey where a vehicle overturned. The other was in Graaff-Reinet where a vehicle slipped and ended up in the back of a truck,” Tshepo said, adding that the injuries weren’t serious.
But while authorities cautioned motorists, Eastern Cape residents and visitors were delighted at the first snowfall of the winter season. Hogsback was one area that was covered in a blanket of snow, and although some weren’t brave enough to venture out into the cold, others made use of the opportunity to connect with their inner-child.
“People get silly in the snow. It is wonderful,” said Jayne Holness.
Holness and her boyfriend Robin Hook, from Cape Town, were visiting Kenton-On-Sea when they heard of the snow in Hogsback – and immediately set off. When the Dispatch arrived , Holness and Hook were spotted making snowballs and throwing them at each other.
Local businessman Rory Odendaal said it was the “heaviest snowfall in 30 years”.
In Grahamstown, the mercury plunged radically overnight and residents woke up yesterday to a thick white coating of snow in some areas. Hardest hit were high lying areas on the outskirts of Grahamstown – including the Highlands Road and Extension 6 in Joza. Eighteen-year-old initiate Sigqibo Bhacela, who has been living alone in his boma near Joza since his circumcision three weeks ago, said Monday night was the coldest he had ever experienced .
“Luckily, I have a fire in my place, otherwise I could have frozen to death.”
Grahamstown High Court staffers Vuyokazi Tsana, Precious Heber and Janet Wilson yesterday said they had taken time off work to check out the snow.
“It is so beautiful – and cold,” Tsana said.
Mad Hatters Coffee Shop owner Phil McDougall said the snow had been 10cm thick on the windshield of his car when he woke up yesterday morning.
Albany weather guru Eldred Bradfield, who has daily records going back to 1957, said the last heavy snowfall in Grahamstown was on June 18, 1976.
While some may have regarded yesterday as one of the coldest, weather forecasters have warned that the worst is yet to come. Forecaster at the Port Elizabeth weather centre Pumla Goba warned that the interior parts of the Eastern Cape would be “very cold” today – with some areas dropping to minus 2°C .
“The coast will be cold, but the interior will be very cold, with 30percent expected thunder showers.
“It will warm up gradually, so Thursday (tomorrow) will not be as cold as Wednesday (today) ,” Goba said. — By DAILY DISPATCH REPORTERS
David Macgregor/Siya Boya/Maxine Diemer
