6 Nov, 09h00: The R72 is now open to trucks as well, but there are still three stop/go's in operation.
5 Nov, 09h00: Roland Thompson of SANRAL says the R72 between Kenton and Port Alfred has re-opened to light vehicles, with three stop/go's, and that the construction of the bypass at the N2 slip is on track to be completed by early December.
26 Oct, 14h00: Nanaga has been re-opened to traffic. There are still a number of stop-gos between Kenton and Alexandria, and many potholes. There is a way around the N2 sinkhole using the Alicedale road that will add +/- 20 minutes to the usual N2 journey time between Grahamstown and PE, and which eliminates the need to go via Kenton-on-Sea. View details here.
6 Nov, 09h00: The R72 is now open to trucks as well, but there are still three stop/go's in operation.
5 Nov, 09h00: Roland Thompson of SANRAL says the R72 between Kenton and Port Alfred has re-opened to light vehicles, with three stop/go's, and that the construction of the bypass at the N2 slip is on track to be completed by early December.
26 Oct, 14h00: Nanaga has been re-opened to traffic. There are still a number of stop-gos between Kenton and Alexandria, and many potholes. There is a way around the N2 sinkhole using the Alicedale road that will add +/- 20 minutes to the usual N2 journey time between Grahamstown and PE, and which eliminates the need to go via Kenton-on-Sea. View details here.
25 Oct, 14h00: Paula Howarth from Pumba Private Game Reserve has updated her earlier report stating that they have now blocked Nanaga off totally and no-one is manning it so no-one can get through to the Grahamstown Road at all.
25 Oct, 11h30: Paula Howarth from Pumba Private Game Reserve has provided us with this information. The easiest route from PE is the one to Kenton on Sea, through Salem and back onto the N2 into Grahamstown. This road is tar all the way. The road at Nanaga is blocked off for anyone going to Grahamstown. The only people allowed through are those who need to get to the lodges and residents. If someone wants to get through the way we are using it is time consuming but here it is!
If travelling on the N2 from Port Elizabeth, at the Nanaga Intersection the road to Grahamstown must be taken. It will take approximately 30 minutes ( approximately 50 km ) to reach the Seven Fountains Crossroads where you must turn left. The sign will show directions to Pumba Private Game Reserve, Kichaka and Assegaai. You then travel approximately 5 kilometres during which time you will pass gates for Assegaai Inn and Kichaka Lodge. You will then take the first turn off to the right where there is a sign for Pumba again and travel approximately 3 kilometres.
You will then reach a T-Junction where you will turn right. You will travel approximately 8 kilometres. You will then see a sign on the side of the road showing a turn off to the left to Pumba Lodge. Travel strainght past this sign and you will then come to a T-junction where you will turn left onto the N2 towards Grahamstown. This involves approximately 23km of gravel which is a bit slow and the road has got potholes in places. Not advisable for small cars unless essential.
25 Oct, 08h30: The R72 between Port Elizabeth and East London has been reopened to traffic for light vehicles only and will remain this way. There are potholes along this road so those traveling are advised to drive with caution.
23 Oct, 10h00: The R72 between Port Elizabeth and East London has been reopened to traffic for light vehicles only. There are two stop and gos in place, one just outside Alexandria and another at the Kasouga Bridge, between Kenton-on-Sea and Port Alfred, where one lane of traffic has been reopened for vehicles. All trucks need to use the R63 through Bedford, Adelaide and Fort Beaufort to East London. Disaster Management have advised that they will be allowing heavy vehicles travelling between East London and Grahamstown and back again to utilize the N2 via Peddie. Heavy vehicles travelling to PE from East London are advised to take the R63 from King via Dimbaza, rather than the N2 as the interconnecting roads between Grahamstown and the R63 at Adelaide, while open, are not in a good condition.
23 Oct, 08h50: The R72 is now open for light vehicles only, all the way through from PE to East London, with three stop / go controls.
23 Oct, 08h00: The Kenton turn-off at Nanaga is still closed. One would need to go onto Cookhouse road and then turn off to Alexandria. There has been a mudslide before Alexandria but this has been cleared. On the road to Salem from Alexandria there has been a slight mudslide and the road is slippery but still accessible.
22 Oct, 16h20: We can confirm that you can drive from Grahamstown – Salem – Kenton – Port Elizabeth BUT coming from the other way you need to do the N10 and R63 redirect via Cookhouse and Bedford.
22 Oct, 16h00: Warrant officer Ntozini from Kenton SAPS has confirmed that the R72 is completely closed and that even though half the road at the Kasouga Bridge is missing traffic is being redirected to N10 and R63 via Cookhouse and Bedford.
22 Oct, 14h45: The R72 is closed from Nanaga to Port Alfred. An alternative route is PE to Cookhouse (N10) then on to the R63 to Bedford – Adelaide-Fort Beaufort – Grahamstown and then on N2 to EL. Also R63 Bedford – Adelaide – Fort Beaufort – Alice- KWT and EL.
Reverse Route EL to PE: East London – KWT – Alice – Fort Beaufort – Adelaide – Bedford – Cookhouse – Paterson PE. There is a special appeal to big trucks to use the N10 Cookhouse to Grahamstown and N2 to EL.
22 Oct, 14h00: Port Elizabeth to East London: due to various road collapses traffic is now being directed to N10 and R63 via Cookhouse and Bedford. The R72 is now closed.
22 Oct, 13h00: The R72 between Alexandria and Port Alfred is open but traffic is moving extremely slowly and there are stop/go controls. This road is closed for heavy vehicles.
The R68 between Bathurst and Port Alfred is closed but they hope to open this later on today.
The N2 between Peddie and King William's Town is now open.
The R330 between Humansdorp and St Francis Bay is now closed
View Road closures around PE, Grahamstown, Port Alfred in a larger map
