Jozi FM presenter Penny Ntuli has voiced her frustration with the authorities’ response after thousands of motorists, including herself, were stranded on the snow-covered N3 highway over the weekend. According to IOL, the former Gagasi FM personality found herself among those stuck in treacherous conditions near Van Reenen’s Pass in KwaZulu-Natal, as heavy snowfall blanketed the area.
Ntuli was en route to a funeral in Durban when the unexpected winter storm hit, leaving her and her friend, “Uzalo” actor Buyani Masikane, trapped between Montrose and Vereeniging. Despite the South African Weather Service’s warnings of a looming snowstorm, Ntuli criticized the emergency response, taking to Facebook to share her frustration.
“Arrive Alive is busy posting what’s going on on the N3. How about you stop posting & help people,” Ntuli wrote in a scathing post. She further questioned the absence of helicopters to assist those stranded, particularly vulnerable motorists like children and the elderly.
“There are cars here with kids, there’s abantu abadala (old people) traveling in cars with no heaters, they’ve been freezing for the past 16 HOURS, where are the resources? Why do we pay for toll gates if you won’t issue out help on the same roads that citizens pay for?” she continued.
The situation turned deadly as at least two people reportedly died from hypothermia, while many others, including Ntuli, endured freezing conditions for over two days. Ntuli is currently recovering from a cold at her mother’s home in Durban after the ordeal.
In response, KwaZulu-Natal acting Premier Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa assured that all available resources had been deployed to assist motorists and clear the affected roads. “These teams are working tirelessly to ensure safe passage and provide assistance where necessary,” Madlopha-Mthethwa said.
