R62 collapse emerges as major Eastern Cape weather disaster

A major section of the R62 between Kareedouw and Joubertina has collapsed following ongoing adverse weather conditions battering parts of the Eastern Cape, with authorities warning that the road could remain closed for an extended period.

The Eastern Cape Department of Transport confirmed that the collapse on Section 7 of the R62 at kilometre 21.5 is currently the most significant road infrastructure damage reported in the province since severe weather conditions began affecting multiple districts.

The damaged section has been closed to all traffic while engineers conduct detailed assessments and finalise repair plans. Motorists travelling between the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape have been advised to use the N2 as an alternative route.

The Sarah Baartman District has emerged as the hardest-hit region during the current weather system, with officials reporting mudslides, rockfalls, flooding and road closures linked to rough sea conditions in areas around Gqeberha, Humansdorp and Kareedouw.

Although snowfall has been recorded in several high-lying areas across the province, transport authorities said all major mountain passes remain open at this stage. Monitoring teams and clean-up crews continue working along flood-prone and rockfall-affected roads.

Eastern Cape MEC for Transport Xolile Nqatha described the R62 collapse as a major setback for the province’s transport infrastructure and warned of possible economic consequences for farming communities in the Langkloof region.

According to the department, the road serves as a critical transport route for agricultural operations in Joubertina and Kareedouw, including produce destined for domestic and export markets.

“We are dealing with widespread weather-related damage across parts of the province, but the collapse of the R62 remains our single biggest infrastructure concern at this stage,” Nqatha said.

“Beyond the inconvenience to motorists, this route is critical to the agricultural economy of the region and its disruption will inevitably have ripple effects on surrounding farming communities and supply chains.”

The department said it continues to work with disaster management teams, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to monitor conditions and respond to weather-related incidents across the province.

Motorists have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel, obey all road closure signage and exercise extreme caution while severe weather conditions persist.