The Department of Transport in the Eastern Cape has closed the Langeni Pass on the R412 due to serious safety concerns.
The pass which branches off the R61 connects Ugie and Mthatha.
A spokesperson for provincial traffic Unathi Bingqose says locals raised the alarm and their road engineers agreed that the pass needed to be closed.
He says a preliminary investigation indicates that the damage is partly due to the mountainous topography as well as heavy-duty trucks, and severe floods over the years that could be related to climate change.
Binqose says all of these issues have fast-tracked the damage on the road and as a result, cracks have appeared and parts of the road are sagging.
The pass is therefore deemed a serious safety hazard and the public is urged to accept the decision and obey the signs.
The Department says a decision on re-opening will be announced in due course.
Meanwhile, Eastern Cape Transport MEC, Xolile Nqatha acknowledged the negative impact this would have on the farming areas and businesses in Ugie.
He said it was more important to prevent a catastrophe as human lives supersede everything else.
