WATCH: Cars stuck in snow at the Swartberg Pass

Oudtshoorn Disaster Management says motorists from neighbouring towns such as George, Mossel Bay and Knysna continue to drive up the Swartberg Pass and as a result more vehicles are getting stuck in the snow. Eight have been towed away.

The Swartberg Pass between Oudtshoorn & Prince Albert remains closed due to heavy snowfall. “Due to motorists disobeying signs 3 vehicles are trapped on the Pass. The conditions of the road are very dangerous and not even suitable for 4X4 vehicles.”

WATCH: CARS STUCK IN SNOW

The Swartberg Pass has been closed since Thursday afternoon. A number of people had to be evacuated on Friday after disobeying road closure signs.

Authorities say the conditions of the road are dangerous even for 4×4 vehicles. They’ve urged the public to refrain from disregarding road closure signs. “The Provincial Traffic cannot monitor there all the time.”

According to Provincial spokesperson, Jandre Bakker, disregarding road closure signs “could further have legal and insurance issues to the road user should something happen to them or their vehicle while travelling on a road that has been closed”

SA BREAKS 19 COLD TEMPERATURE RECORDS

South Africa broke a whopping 19 cold weather records as a freezing cold front and snow swept parts of the country this week.

According to the South African Weather Service 19 parts of the country broke minimum temperature records, with some of the towns on Friday, experiencing the coldest temperates last seen half a century ago. 

Millions of South Africans across the country felt the biting chill of winter making its presence felt, from Gauteng all the way to Kimberley in the Northern Cape, where it snowed on Thursday 22 July.

This week the Eastern Cape was hit hardest by the blizzard-like conditions. The passes of Penhoek on the N6, Lootsberg on the N9, and Wapadsberg on the R61 were all shut off on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, drivers were advised to exercise extreme caution when travelling on the R56, and through Nico Malan pass.

READ: Weather LATEST: SA breaks 19 cold temperature records