MEC Bulwana closes down Free State’s ‘deadly’ R30 road, after 6 killed over weekend!

The Free State department of Police, Road and Transport’s MEC William Bulwana has shut down the R30 road between Allanridge and Welkom indefinitely.

This comes after six people were killed on past Saturday, when a white Iveco carrying over 22 passengers plunged into a dam on the deadly road, which has thus far claimed over 20 lives since last year.

According to the department’s spokesperson, Hillary Mophethe, the dam flooded the road several times during the rainy season.

“The lack of cooperation from road users resulted led to a number of fatal crushes and fatalities in the vicinity,” said Mophethe.

The department has expressed its deep concerns regarding the lives of R30 road users. The road has also been declared unsafe for use.

The department urges road users to use the following alternative routes:

“Vehicles travelling between Allanridge and Bothaville should use S1075 secondary road and the R719 road,” the department said in a released statement.

Those travelling between Welkom and Kroonstad, the R34 road will become the alternative route. Motorists travelling to Orkney – North West, should use the R76 via Viljoenskroon,” statement further read.

“We will erect extra road traffic signs on the R30 road to warn motorists of the situation.

MEC Bulwana said that, for the sake of everyone’s safety, the departments pleads with motorists to be well aware of road signs and to obey the rules.

He stressed that there are motorists who vigorously remove road signs and force themselves to pass through this devastating road unlawfully.