A heavy-duty tow truck hauling a 16-tonne truck came dangerously close to a collision after encountering slowing traffic on the N3 Durban-bound near the Mariannhill Toll Plaza.
The dramatic moment was captured on dashcam by a motorist travelling along the freeway on Thursday.
The footage shows the recording vehicle travelling at approximately 111km/h before the driver begins reducing speed as slower traffic becomes visible ahead.
By the time the vehicle’s speed has dropped to around 82km/h, a white Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty tow truck suddenly comes into view on the right, overtaking while towing another heavy truck.
The tow truck appears to close rapidly on the traffic ahead.
It then moves across towards the middle lane in what appears to be an attempt to avoid hitting a vehicle in front of it.
Fortunately, the motorist recording the incident had already created enough following distance, leaving room for the tow truck and its heavy load to move across without causing a collision.
The tow truck manages to avoid the traffic and continues on its way.
There was no crash in the incident, but the footage highlights just how quickly a normal stretch of freeway can turn into a dangerous situation when traffic slows unexpectedly.
According to the motorist who captured the footage, the incident happened on Thursday on the N3 Durban-bound shortly before the Mariannhill Toll Plaza.
A stretch that demands anticipation
The section approaching Mariannhill has been the scene of a number of serious crashes over the years, particularly when traffic builds up towards the toll plaza.
In December 2024, SA Trucker reported a devastating crash in which a Zambian truck driver was killed after his truck collided with 11 vehicles on the N3 Durban-bound just before the Mariannhill Toll Gate.
Six trucks and five cars were involved, with around 15 people sustaining injuries.
Then, in June this year, CCTV footage emerged showing the moments before another major crash near Mariannhill. A side-tipper combination appeared to complete an overtaking manoeuvre before losing control, crossing the median and crashing into vehicles on the opposite carriageway.
Multiple casualties were reported.
The latest video ended very differently.
There was no crash, nobody was injured and the traffic kept moving.
But for truckers and motorists using the N3, it is another reminder that the traffic ahead needs to be read early, particularly when approaching toll plazas where queues can form quickly.
At highway speeds, leaving a decent gap is not wasted road. It can be the bit of space that gives another driver somewhere to go when things suddenly go pear-shaped.
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