Bayhead Road Bypass has been reopened after a prolonged closure on Monday morning, following a truck accident that brought operations to a standstill near the Durban Container Terminal (DCT).
The accident occurred when a truck carrying a reefer container failed to negotiate a bend and overturned. The incident severely disrupted traffic, both in and out of the port, and caused temporary suspension of terminal operations as trucks were stuck inside with no exit route.
Recovery efforts, led by Rieks Towing, proved to be exceptionally challenging due to the limited space on the bypass. The narrowness of the road meant that traditional lifting and recovery methods were not feasible. The team had to coordinate a delicate operation, using one recovery truck positioned in front of the wreck and another at the rear, to carefully hoist the overturned reefer container.
Once lifted, the container was slowly moved along the road to a wider section, where it could be safely transferred onto a waiting truck. The entire operation stretched for over five hours, causing a major backlog of trucks and mounting frustration for operators and drivers alike.
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Images and videos shared on social media painted a clear picture of the chaos, with long lines of stationary trucks inside DCT and surrounding areas.
Bayhead Road is one of the most critical access points to the port, and any incident on it typically has ripple effects on port operations. The road has since been reopened and normal traffic flow restored, but the knock-on effect of the delay is expected to be felt throughout the day.
Authorities are urging truckers to exercise caution on the route, especially at the bend where the crash occurred. Investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing.
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