Traffic Advisory
Road closure and possible delays on N4 due to protests

Pretoria, 11 May 2023 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) wishes to alert motorists to road closures and possible traffic delays on the N4 route between Balmoral Interchange and the N4/N12 split near eMalahleni, due to service delivery protests this week.

The protests commenced on Tuesday evening and due to their violent nature, the route patrol services by TRAC Concessionaires, TRACAssist, were forced to close that section of the road as a precautionary safety measure.

SANRAL spokesperson, Vusi Mona, said both the roads agency and TRAC had to act swiftly to mitigate the situation and introduce the closure to protect the lives of road users.

“Protesters blockaded the road with burnt trucks and other objects due to services delivery protests in Emalahleni, which have unfortunately spilled to the N4. We have been working closely with TRAC and the local law enforcement authorities attending to the scene to manage the situation and ensure minimum disruptions to the safe movement of goods and people,” he said.

Mona confirmed that the TRACAssist teams are also on site, assisting with traffic management and directing road users to alternative routes.

Solange Soares, Communications Manager from TRAC said they respect the right for peaceful protests, as per the South African Constitution. However, the company

condemns demonstrations which poses a safety and security threat to road users and cause damage to property.

While this situation persists, SANRAL urges motorists to avoid this area and use the following alternative routes to reach their destinations:

• Westbound (towards Tshwane)

After Middelburg Plaza take the N12 at the N4/N12 split, proceed for approximately 70km then take the Delmas off ramp which leads to Bronkhorstspruit (R42) from where the N4 can be reached again.