For over three and a half years, a sinkhole has posed a persistent threat to motorists travelling along the R74 Oliviershoek Pass towards Bergville. This, however, is just one of several safety hazards along the route, which has prompted calls for urgent action from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and the National Assembly Portfolio Committee on Transport, amid concerns over the deteriorating condition of the pass.
The Bergville community has long contended with ongoing challenges along the R74, and regular protests have highlighted the urgent need for repairs.
The most recent demonstration, which took place in January 2026, saw taxi drivers and learner transport operators join in, citing the serious risk the road posed to their passengers. Despite these protests, the original sinkhole, which formed in 2022, remains unresolved.
Against this backdrop, Councillor Thys Janse van Rensburg — DA uThukela Chairperson — has issued formal letters to KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Siboniso Duma, and to the National Assembly Portfolio Committee on Transport, demanding immediate intervention on the deteriorating route.
“More than three-and-a-half years after Parliament adopted the Portfolio Committee on Transport’s recommendations, which explicitly called for the transfer of provincial roads, including the R74, to SANRAL, the KZN section remains firmly under provincial control. In stark contrast, the Free State side was transferred and is now professionally managed by SANRAL,” explained Councillor Janse van Rensburg, emphasising that the pass is crumbling in real time.
According to Janse van Rensburg, the situation has worsened with the formation of a new sinkhole on a sharp downhill bend.
“Sections of the road edge have collapsed, and the entire route is hazardous, especially at night with low visibility. This is no longer just inconvenient; it is life-threatening for heavy vehicles, visiting tourists and daily learner transport,” he said.
He also stressed that, without intervention, the road’s condition could have consequences that extend well beyond immediate safety concerns.
The deteriorating state of the R74 carries economic implications as well. Councillor Janse van Rensburg explained that the route serves as the national alternative to the N3 Van Reenen Pass, supporting tourism, agriculture, freight transport, and local communities in the Northern Drakensberg.
“Its continued neglect is devastating the local economy, undermining the UNESCO Drakensberg World Heritage Site, destroying jobs in hospitality and farming, and forcing expensive detours. As the DA, we have requested an urgent update from MEC Duma on the status of the transfer process and a firm timeline for completion,” he added.
When Parliament adopted the Portfolio Committee on Transport’s recommendations in March 2022, which called for the transfer of provincial roads, including the R74, to SANRAL, it noted that part of its decision was based on the R74 being a main arterial route linking Harrismith in the Free State, through Bergville and Winterton, and connecting to the N3 and Ladysmith.
Furthermore, the committee highlighted that the Oliviershoek Pass is crucial for tourism in the Northern Berg, serving visitors from Gauteng and the Free State, and confirmed that oversight teams had observed the road’s extremely poor condition.
To read the full adoption of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Transport’s recommendations, click here.
As the R74 Oliviershoek Pass continues to falter under provincial management, the stark contrast with the SANRAL-maintained Free State segment raises pressing questions about accountability and resource allocation in KwaZulu-Natal.
With parliamentary recommendations from 2022 still unheeded, the ongoing risks demand a shift from rhetoric to resolution, ensuring that infrastructure vital to regional connectivity no longer endangers those who depend on it.
Councillor Janse van Rensburg’s push for clarity on the transfer timeline reflects a broader call for governance that prioritises public safety over bureaucratic inertia.
Looking ahead, restoring the R74 could revitalise the Northern Drakensberg‘s prospects, bolstering its UNESCO-recognised heritage while sustaining essential sectors like tourism and agriculture. Without prompt action, the cycle of protests, danger-to-life and economic strain risks deepening.
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Do not forget to read, Estcourt KwaZulu-Natal: A Midlands Town Shaped by History, Heritage, and Renewal, if you missed it.
FAQs
A long-standing sinkhole from 2022 remains unrepaired, and new collapses have formed, creating dangerous conditions for motorists.
Parliament recommended in 2022 that the road be transferred to SANRAL due to its poor condition and national importance.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, while the Free State section is already under SANRAL.
It supports tourism, agriculture, freight, and serves as an alternative route to the N3.
