Motorists have been urged to find alternate routes when travelling on the N2 southbound bridge across Umbongintwini River near Amanzimtoti - following the partial collapse of the bridge.
Sindi Msimang, the provincial information officer for the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), said: “The bridge has partially collapsed. I am unable to give the full details on what exactly happened as that will be determined by the engineers.”
She added that the area posed a danger to road users.
“The engineers are on the bridge at the moment to determine the exact cause of the incident. The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) is also here to give an assessment and statement on what happened. They will also give us details on when the road could open again.
“People need to use alternative routes to get to where they need to go. If you are travelling north, then you should take the Umlazi off ramp and that route. If you are going south, you can use Joyner Road or any other alternative route."
In a statement, Sanral said following the heavy rain in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, the Umbongintwini River Bridge on the N2 experienced a failure. This, said the statement, resulted in road closure.
“Sanral specialist engineers are currently on site to assess the extent of the damage and remedial action to be taken. The southbound carriageway over the bridge has been closed from Joyner Road and vehicles are being diverted to alternative routes. Motorists are advised to be cautious when approaching the site,” said Vusi Mona, Sanral's General Manager of Marketing and Communications.