Snowfall cuts off towns and forces long-distance train service cancellations

By Lelethu Mquqo
26 July 2011

Overnight snowfalls blanketed several parts of the country with the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal being hardest hit by the extreme cold.

Temperatures in the town of Barkly East, just south of Lesotho, reached a low of zero-point-four-degrees.

The owner of the Old Mill Inn, Mark Dewitt, says they were effectively cut off from the world by the snow.

He says however that things seem to be clearing up a bit.

Meanwhile the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa says long-distance train services have had to be cancelled today because of the bad weather.

Spokesperson Leonard Potgieter says trains between Johannesburg, Durban and East London will not run until further notice.

He says all the passengers currently using the trains will be taken care of and provided with food and drinks until services have been restored.