Safety fears mount as key freight and tourism route in KwaZulu-Natal deteriorates
The Democratic Alliance has called for the urgent transfer of the KwaZulu-Natal section of the R74 Oliviershoek Pass to the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) after a new sinkhole appeared on the already deteriorating mountain route.
DA uThukela chairperson, councillor Thys Janse van Rensburg, said the pass was “crumbling in real time” and now posed serious risks to freight operators, tourists and everyday road users.
“A new sinkhole has opened on a downhill sharp bend, a death trap waiting to happen. Sections of the road edge have collapsed, and the entire route is hazardous, especially at night with low visibility,” said Janse van Rensburg.
“This is no longer just inconvenient, it is life-threatening for heavy vehicles, visiting tourists and daily learner transport.”
The R74 Oliviershoek Pass is a critical alternative to the N3 Van Reenen Pass and plays a strategic role in freight movement across KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. It also supports agriculture, tourism in the northern Drakensberg and communities located near the Unesco-listed Drakensberg World Heritage Site.
According to the DA, the deteriorating condition of the road is having a direct economic impact. Janse van Rensburg warned that continued neglect is undermining local businesses and regional development.
“Its continued neglect is devastating the local economy, undermining the Drakensberg World Heritage Site, destroying jobs in hospitality and farming and forcing expensive detours,” he said.
The party pointed out that more than three-and-a-half years have passed since Parliament adopted recommendations from the Portfolio Committee on Transport to transfer certain provincial roads, including the R74, to Sanral. While the Free State portion of the route has already been handed over and is now “professionally managed” by Sanral, the KwaZulu-Natal section remains under provincial control.
Janse van Rensburg confirmed that the DA has written to KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport Siboniso Duma and the National Assembly Portfolio Committee on Transport seeking an urgent update on the status of the transfer process and a clear timeline for completion.
“The ANC MEC’s repeated failure to manage the road infrastructure in KZN is costing lives, livelihoods, and our tourism future. The DA will not stop holding him accountable until this strategic route is upgraded under Sanral’s funding and expertise,” he said.
Meanwhile, MEC Siboniso Duma has indicated that the provincial Department of Transport is intensifying its road safety efforts, particularly focusing on trucks following a series of fatal crashes.
“I have mandated the newly appointed Head of the Department of Transport, Zibusiso Dlamini, to strengthen the road safety plan with a clear focus on trucks. Last weekend we buried 17 people who died in accidents involving trucks,” Duma said.
He also highlighted enforcement successes under the #NenzaniLaEzweni Operation, noting that more than 4 400 arrests have been made in the province since August 15, 2025, largely targeting drunk driving and other traffic violations.
“Our road networks, which are being constructed, rehabilitated, and repaired, should not be playgrounds for irresponsible drivers. We must remove all these elements that are costing our country a fortune,” Duma said.
According to the MEC, South Africa’s annual road accident costs exceed R164 billion, equivalent to 3.4 percent of GDP, while Road Accident Fund payouts reached over R45.6 billion in the 2023/2024 financial year.
As pressure mounts, the future management of the R74 Oliviershoek Pass has become more than a provincial infrastructure issue. It now sits at the intersection of road safety, freight efficiency, tourism sustainability and economic stability in one of South Africa’s most scenic and strategically important corridors.