Wet Easter Sunday on the cards for holidaymakers returning home

Traffic volumes are expected to increase from Thursday, when holidaymakers embark on journeys to various destinations for the long Easter weekend.

Speaking to The Citizen on Tuesday, spokesperson for the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) Simon Zwane called on motorists to avoid the temptation of breaking the rules of the road and ensure that their driving licences and vehicle discs are valid.

During last previous holiday break (festive season), pedestrians were also singled out as a huge concern as pedestrian deaths accounted 40% of the total road fatalities during the 1 December 2022 and 11 January 2023 Festive season period.

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“It is for this reason that we are also calling on pedestrians to resist the temptation to crossroads when it is not safe to do so or when under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” said Zwane.

Zwane said some of the other areas of focus for law enforcers will include roadworthiness of vehicles, drunk driving and dangerous driving which include overtaking on barrier lines and speeding.

Some of the major routes expected to be busy:

• N1 to Limpopo
• N3 to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN)
• N2 in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN)
• N4 and N12 to Mpumalanga
• N12 to Western Cape
• N12 to Eastern Cape
• N14 to North West

Meanwhile, as the country is now starting to transition from the summer to autumn season, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) says this does not mean the rain has completely subsided.

The country’s rainfall areas have in recent months been experiencing above normal rainfall which led to flooding.

ALSO READ: More heavy rain and flooding expected before autumn arrives

According to forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela said most of the showers and thundershowers can be expected in the southern parts of the country on Thursday as well as on Good Friday.

However, motorists who will be travelling back from their various holiday destinations can expected a good chance of heavy downpours in the north-eastern parts of the country which include Gauteng from Easter Sunday, going into next week Monday.

The expected heavy downpours, according to Thobela, could also lead to flooding in some parts.

“We are currently monitoring the situation and if the situation does indeed change closer to Sunday, we will inform residents accordingly,” Thobela said.

Other parts of the country that will be affected by the heavy rainfall apart from Gauteng, include the eastern parts of the Free State and North West as well as Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

Cool to cold temperatures to remain going into the winter season

Several parts of the country have in recent times been experiencing much cooler temperatures during early evenings with daytime temperatures taking rather long to warm up during the day.

Thobela said there is nothing unusual about this sudden change in temperatures, stressing that daytime temperatures are set to remain in the cool to cold temperatures.

Parts of the country that can expect cold temperatures ranging between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius starting from Thursday, include parts of the Western Cape, the escarpment of the Eastern Cape, spreading into the Drakensburg.

“Residents in the northern parts of the country can expect maximum temperatures to be in the mid-20s,” Thobela said.

South Africa’s autumn season is usually between the months of March and May, while the winter season kicks in from June to August.

Maximum temperatures are not expected to go beyond the 30 degrees Celsius mark between now and at least after winter.