Heavy rainfall since New Year's Eve has led to the closure of multiple roads in Mpumalanga province, with damage to infrastructure including bridges, schools, houses, and electricity lines.
The Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport has closed several roads due to ongoing heavy rains that began on New Year's Eve. This weather has caused widespread damage across the province, affecting not only roadways but also bridges, schools, houses, and electricity infrastructure.
Spokesperson Bongani Dlamini detailed the closures, stating, “We have already closed the Road R533 between Graskop and Bushbuckridge, D841 Road between Ekulindeni and Mooiplaas, together with D1604 Road in Mbombela. The departmental team remain on high alert and continue to monitor various road conditions across the province and I must indicate that we have already appointed some of the contractors to start working on the roads that I have mentioned that they are already closed.”
The persistent downpours pose significant risks to provincial roads, prompting safety alerts from authorities like Arrive Alive. Teams are actively assessing conditions and initiating repairs to restore access as soon as possible.