The N3 remained closed at Van Reenen's Pass on Sunday morning as hazardous conditions persisted. One person has been confirmed dead from exposure. Rescue operations continue and alternative roads have been opened.

A multidisciplinary rescue and recovery team was working non-stop on Sunday to clear the area between Van Reenen's Pass and Swinburne (Montrose) of stranded trucks and light motor vehicles after heavy snowfalls.

The operations manager of the N3 Toll Concession, Thania Dhoogra, said the team faced significant challenges because road users were attempting to bypass road closure points and were ignoring safety instructions.

"We know it has been a long, bitterly cold and tiring weekend, and we understand that you just want to be mobile again, but please work with the disaster management teams, not against them.

"When clear instructions are ignored or opposed, it puts an additional strain on resources and brings rescue efforts to a halt, negatively impacting on everyone," said Dhoogra.

"Your cooperation, patience and compliance are essential to bring this mammoth operation to conclusion and to safely restore mobility on the N3 Toll Route. Until this can be achieved, and the many stranded vehicles, as well as the extensive backlog of traffic between KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, can be cleared, clean-up and securing of the road cannot be completed and hence, normal traffic...