This is despite the provincial Department of Police, Roads, and Transport closing the road to construct it and to make it safer for road users. Police spokesperson in the province, Stephen Thakeng, says the motorist drowned in the body of water next to the road after he lost control of his vehicle. He adds the deceased was retrieved by a witness who saw the accident happen. An investigated will be done by the Allanridge Detective Services.

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Thakeng further adds that the deceased is a 37-year-old who was travelling from Rustenburg to Bloemfontein at around 06:10 in the morning. The witness was also passing by on the same road. The departmental spokesperson, Hillary Mophethe, previously stated that the road will remain closed until a contractor – who is yet to be appointed - has finished the construction of the road. The road has been closed for a while, however, several accidents have occurred since the closure. The road had claimed at least 15 lives in a space of three months (January to March 2022).

The department at the time believed that the accidents on the road were caused by flooding, as the area would flood during the rainy season. Authorities believed several drivers lost control of their vehicles once they hit the gravel portion (on the road) at high speeds, ending up submerged in the water next to the road. The road attracted attention from across the country when an Intercape bus ended up in the water earlier this year. No casualties were reported in that incident, however. Shortly after that, six people drowned after the vehicle they were travelling in lost control and landed in the water.

OFM News