LIMPOPO – A deadly weekend on Limpopo’s roads left 14 people dead in two separate crashes in the Sekhukhune District, while the N1 experienced heavy traffic and several crashes as travellers returned to schools and work.

Watch

Heavy traffic gridlocks the N1 as weekend travellers returned. pic.twitter.com/HKzpggSkmq

— Polokwane Observer (@PolokwaneObserv) July 20, 2026

Friday: Steady but heavy traffic

Friday saw steady traffic at both the Kranskop and Nyl plazas. Between 10:00 and 13:00 at Kranskop, 3 734 vehicles headed northbound and 2 837 southbound. At Nyl Plaza between 10:00 and 15:00, the numbers were higher with 6 620 northbound and 5 024 southbound.

The N1 was also temporarily closed on the Polokwane side of Ysterberg following a crash, though the road was eventually reopened. No further details were immediately available and the road reopened shortly after.

The horror in Sekhukhune

Saturday was a day of devastation. The Sekhukhune District, described by Limpopo MEC for Transport and Community Safety Violet Mathye as having a “dark cloud hanging over it”, was the scene of two fatal crashes that claimed 14 lives.

The first crash occurred along the R555, killing five people at the scene. Authorities have not ruled out recklessness as a contributing factor.

Just half an hour later, a second crash on the D4370 road claimed nine more lives. Preliminary investigations suggest speeding may have been to blame.

Six others were injured in the crashes and taken to hospital.

Sunday: A surge in traffic and a string of collisions

Sunday saw traffic volumes surge as learners, parents and students returned to schools and tertiary institutions, and families travelled home after the weekend. The Department of Transport had warned that the N1 North and South would likely experience heavy congestion.

The numbers told the story. At Kranskop Plaza, traffic between 14:00 and 19:00 was heavily weighted southbound, with 11 375 vehicles heading towards Gauteng compared to just 3 423 travelling northbound. The Nyl Plaza saw with 4 504 vehicles heading northbound and 1 399 southbound between 10:00 and 15:00.

The sheer volume led to gridlock and collisions. According to information shared on the Accident Alerts PLK WhatsApp group by member Claude Reynolds, a traffic standstill was reported on the N1 South roughly 10km after the Zebediela Toll Plaza, with vehicles using the emergency shoulder to form a third lane.

A crash on the N1 South after the Zebediela Toll Plaza had services on scene, and the backlog extended to about 3km before the Kranskop Toll Plaza.

A separate incident was also reported at the Settlers/Codrington off-ramp on the N1 South.