Motorists travelling towards Johannesburg on the N3 are facing major delays after a truck caught fire and blocked the entire carriageway early on Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred at around 05:00 on Tuesday, 4 August 2026, on the N3 Johannesburg-bound carriageway near the Frankfort Interchange.
Videos received by SA Trucker show an articulated truck completely engulfed in flames, with the burning vehicle blocking the entire Johannesburg-bound carriageway. Thick black smoke could be seen billowing across the highway as emergency services responded to the scene.
According to N3 Toll Concession (N3TC), the incident has resulted in the complete closure of the Johannesburg-bound lanes.
In an update issued at 05:58, N3TC said:
#N3VehicleFire: N3-9 29.0N #N3JoburgBound near Frankfort I/C 133. Truck involved. Entire #JoburgBound obstructed. Stop-and-go implemented on the #DurbanBound to facilitate contraflow. Please approach the area with caution.
To keep traffic moving, a stop-and-go system has been implemented on the Durban-bound carriageway, allowing Johannesburg-bound traffic to pass through the area under contraflow conditions.
The timing of the crash is expected to cause significant traffic congestion, as it occurred during one of the busiest morning commuting periods on the N3. Long queues are expected to develop as traffic backs up behind the closure.
At this stage, the cause of the fire has not been confirmed, and there has been no official information regarding injuries or whether the truck was carrying any cargo.
Motorists travelling between Durban and Johannesburg are urged to expect lengthy delays, obey all instructions from traffic officials and emergency personnel, and consider delaying their journeys where possible until the scene has been cleared.
SA Trucker will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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