Severe weather and flooding in South Africa's Western Cape have caused major travel disruptions across the Cape Winelands, with multiple sections of the N1 now closed.
The Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, has urged the public to avoid all non-essential travel to and through the Cape Winelands region until conditions improve.
For travellers heading to or from Cape Town, road access remains severely affected, particularly around Worcester, De Doorns and the Du Toitskloof area.
Roads and passes currently closed
Authorities have confirmed the following closures:
- N1 at Worcester
- N1 between De Doorns and Worcester due to flooding
- N1 near Du Kloof Lodge due to debris on the roadway
- N1 sections near Sandhills and De Wet Kelder
- Du Toitskloof Pass
- Huguenot Tunnel
- Bainskloof Pass
- Mitchells Pass
- R43 between Worcester and Villiersdorp due to river overflow
Officials have warned that some of these routes currently have no viable alternative roads available.
Important information for travellers
Motorists already travelling towards Cape Town on the N1 are being advised to stop at a safe location and wait for roads to reopen rather than attempting risky detours.
Traffic control measures are currently in place at the Rawsonville Weighbridge, where only one lane is operational.
Additional route updates include:
- Nuwekloof Pass is only accessible from the Tulbagh side
- Theronsberg Pass remains a high-risk route due to limited cellphone coverage and ongoing monitoring
- Several rural roads have been damaged by flooding and heavy rain
Drivers using remote alternative routes should prepare for poor road conditions, limited services and weak mobile signal coverage.
Emergency alternative routes
Authorities have published several emergency diversion routes for essential travel only. These include long-distance inland routes via:
- Victoria West
- Loxton
- Williston
- Calvinia
- Vanrhynsdorp
- The N7 corridor
Another possible detour involves travelling via Montagu, Ashton and the N2, although some sections are narrow and not ideal for heavy traffic.
Travellers are urged to use extreme caution on all detour routes.
Cape Town travel disruptions continue
The latest closures are expected to significantly impact road travel between Cape Town and inland parts of South Africa, especially freight traffic, holidaymakers and long-distance motorists.
The Western Cape Government says emergency and road management teams are working around the clock to clear debris, assess flood damage and reopen roads when it is safe to do so.
Travellers should continue monitoring official updates before departing and postpone non-essential travel wherever possible.
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