WATCH: Wind farm component moves from Richards Bay nearing the end of the road

Once the 1km-long escorted convoys hit the N2, there have been few major traffic snarls.

July 9, 2025

Dave Savides 1 minute read

The huge 100m-long blades and the towers and pylons for the wind turbines are being stored alongside the RBIDZ site at the harbour’s east gate, in preparation for the trip northwards on the N2 Photo: Dave Savides

Good news for long-suffering motorists is that the movement of huge wind turbine components from the Port of Richards Bay via the N2 to Mpumalanga is gradually winding down.

According to a source from the team scheduling the abnormal load fleets transporting the long blades and tower sections from the RBIDZ, the task will have been completed in about seven weeks, with just one load per week on the road.

Although there has been frustration at delays within the city limits, once the 1km-long escorted convoys hit the national road, there have been few major traffic snarls.

The components are destined for a R25-billion commercial wind farm under construction in Mpumalanga, expected to power up a mine and supply feed to the Eskom grid.

A total of 125 turbines are being installed at the Ummbila Emoyeni farm in Bethal, from where SA company Seriti Green plans to contribute 900 megawatts of clean energy to the national grid by the end of 2027.