Local News
After Good Friday Surge, Traffic Slows on Chris Hani Routes
Traffic volumes across the Komani and broader Chris Hani area eased on Easter Monday, 6 April 2026, after the sharp Good Friday surge recorded on key regional routes earlier in the long weekend.
The latest vehicle read figures, captured between 10:00 and 11:00 on Monday, show noticeably lower numbers across all monitored corridors compared with the heavier movement seen at the height of Easter travel.
This comes just days after major increases were recorded on routes including the N6, R61, R67, R410 and R392 as holidaymakers, churchgoers and families travelled through the district at the start of the Easter weekend. On Good Friday, traffic volumes had climbed sharply across the Chris Hani region, reflecting one of the busiest travel periods of the long weekend.
By contrast, the Easter Monday figures suggest that road activity had slowed considerably by late morning, although movement remained steady on several important routes.
Vehicle reads for Easter Monday, 6 April 2026 (10:00 to 11:00)
| Route | Location | Vehicle count |
|---|---|---|
| N6/3 | Cathcart | 213 |
| N6/4 | Penhoek | 272 |
| R61/4 | Tarka | 188 |
| R61/5 | Cofimvaba | 295 |
| R67/5 | Whittlesea | 171 |
| R410/1 | Lady Frere | 170 |
| R392 | Dordrecht | 184 |
Among the monitored points, Cofimvaba on the R61/5 recorded the highest vehicle count at 295, followed by Penhoek on the N6/4 with 272. Cathcart recorded 213 vehicles, while Tarka stood at 188.
The other routes also showed lower but still active movement. Dordrecht on the R392 recorded 184 vehicles, Whittlesea on the R67/5 recorded 171, and Lady Frere on the R410/1 recorded 170 during the same one-hour period.
Lower than the Easter peak
The latest figures paint a different picture from the one seen earlier in the weekend, when traffic counts rose sharply across the district as Easter travel gathered pace. The Easter Monday numbers suggest that the intense early holiday rush has passed, with volumes settling down across the Chris Hani region.
That does not necessarily mean roads are quiet. Routes such as the N6 and R61 remain vital corridors linking towns across the district and connecting the Eastern Cape with other parts of the country. Even with lower numbers, these routes continue to carry steady traffic during holiday periods, especially as some travellers make their return journeys.
Drivers still urged to stay cautious
Motorists travelling through Komani and surrounding areas are still being urged to remain alert, patient and law-abiding on the roads.
Holiday return traffic can still bring sudden congestion, risky overtaking, fatigue-related driving and speed-related incidents, particularly on longer regional routes. Easter Monday often marks the tail end of the long weekend rush, and while the latest figures indicate lower volumes than Good Friday, road safety remains a major concern.
The new stats suggest that the district has moved beyond the Easter weekend peak, but with traffic still flowing on all major routes, motorists are being reminded that a quieter road is not always a safer one.
