12/05/2026
Premier Alan Winde
Urgent Transport Announcement: N1 closed, alternative routes advised.
The N1 at Worcester is closed until further notice, along with various passes along the escarpment, severely impacting access to and from Cape Town.
The Western Cape Government strongly advises anyone currently using the N1 towards Cape Town to find a safe place to stop and sleep, until a more direct route opens up.
If N1 road users must get to Cape Town tonight, the following routes are available. All of these routes should only be travelled as a last resort, and while exercising extreme caution. Cellular signal may be limited in rural areas, and drivers are thus advised to drive as carefully as possible.
1. At Victoria West, divert to R63 to R67 Loxton-Fraserburg-Williston-Calvinia-Nieuwoudtville-Vanrhynsdorp to N7.
2. Just before Beaufort West divert via R381 to Loxton-Fraserburg-Williston-Calvinia-Nieuwoudtville-Vanrhynsdorp to N7.
3. At Leeu Gamka to divert to R353 to Loxton-Fraserburg-Williston-Calvinia-Nieuwoudtville-Vanrhynsdorp to N7.
4. Otherwise, after Touws Rivier and Kleinstraat, divert to R318 to Montagu-Ashton. The R318 has no shoulders. It is a normal class 4 road – tarred – but a narrow road. Travel to the N2 via Swellendam (Bonnievale-Stormsvlei – which has a single lane bridge and not recommendable) to Grabouw-Cape Town.