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From stranded to saved: how the N3 snowstorm brought South Africans together in kindness

From stranded to saved: how the N3 snowstorm brought South Africans together in kindness
Reflecting on the support he received during the crisis, Louis Barnard said he felt inspired by the unity he experienced among South Africans. (Photo: Supplied / Louis Barnard)
Takudzwa Pongweni
By Takudzwa Pongweni
23 Sep 2024
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As heavy snowfall stranded motorists across KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, Trucker Miriam Mzangaza became a source of warmth and sustenance for those in distress, while software developer Louis Barnard transformed his cancelled hiking trip into a mission of goodwill.

Heavy snowfall, icy conditions, and poor visibility prompted traffic authorities to warn motorists to avoid travel in KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State, and surrounding regions as dangerous conditions persisted. Snowfall began to disrupt traffic along the N3 Toll Route and most other regional roads on Friday night, leaving scores of motorists stranded on the road for more than 12 hours.

Amid the chaos and cold,  a remarkable spirit of community emerged as people came together to help those in need. One woman emerged as a beacon of hope: trucker Miriam Mzangaza, affectionately known as Masigwede. With her motherly instincts kicking in, Mzangaza extended a helping hand to those around her.

“I was travelling from Johannesburg to Durban. I didn’t know the weather would be so bad,  I was in Joburg and it was very, very cold there so I just thought the journey would be cold and didn’t expect to be stuck in snow,” said Mzangaza.

Miriam Mzangaza said she was travelling from Johannesburg to Durban when the disruptive snowfall forced her to stop. She said truckers frequently travelled with food and gas stoves and she felt moved to help. (Photo: Supplied / Miriam Mzangaza)



Stuck on the N3 near Van Reenen's Pass, Miriam Mzangaza, known to many as Masigwede, was moved to help those around her. (Photo: Supplied / Miriam Mzangaza)



Miriam Mzangaza said she hoped that what people would take away from her actions this past weekend was learning to share with others. (Photo: Supplied / Miriam Mzangaza)



She said she had driven in snow before and decided to keep driving until she reached Tugela Plaza, however, after she passed Harrismith the conditions became worse.

“I was driving something like 30km, and then getting stuck. It got bad very quickly, some small cars were swerving, you were not able to drive. All of us just parked there, I slept there on Friday and Saturday,” she said.

Mzangaza said truckers frequently moved around with gas stoves and food, and coincidentally she had purchased groceries before her trip.

“If you see somebody parked next to you, you can’t eat. How can you swallow when somebody is looking at you? I felt  bad for that, I just called a couple of people to come help themselves, and they gave me a lot of other people’s numbers who needed help,” she said.

Mzangaza provided children with a warm cup of hot chocolate and some cornflakes, and motorists with a warm beverage and a chance to freshen up.

At one point, Mzangaza resorted to boiling ice as they had run out of water.

“At one point we were boiling the ice because we ran out of water. There was no choice, you are in the middle of snow, in the bush, no shops nearby, you couldn’t even walk to the store because the snow was too much,” she said. 

A call for unity and sharing


Mzangaza said she did not anticipate helping so many people and also did not expect to go viral for her good deed.

“I don’t know how many people I helped, I didn’t plan it. I didn’t even have enough plates and cups, I only had about three.  I didn’t expect that. My tears are coming out when motorists are hooting and waving when they see my truck,” she said.

Mzangaza emphasised the importance of sharing and unity in her message following the weekend’s events.

“Learn to share. I’m not a South African, I’m a Zimbabwean. So some of the people heard my accent and they were asking why a foreigner would do this. We are one family, when you are helping, don’t choose the nationality or the skin colour of a person, just help,” she said. 

From hiking to helping


Retrenched last week,  software developer Louis Barnard considered cancelling his hiking trip to KwaZulu-Natal. But realising that “sitting in a corner and crying” wouldn’t change his situation, the 39-year-old from Pretoria chose to go ahead with the trip. 

Unbeknown to him, this decision would significantly affect the lives of many people stranded by the heavy snowfall that blanketed the region.

While travelling from Pretoria, Barnard and his fellow hikers, who had planned to hike at Witsieshoek, received a message on Friday night alerting them that the area was snowed in, making their hike impossible. As a result, they had to cancel their plans and sought accommodation in Harrismith.

After his recent retrenchment, Louis Barnard unexpectedly became a Good Samaritan during his trip, reflecting on how helping others had lifted his spirits. (Photo: Supplied / Louis Barnard)



Reflecting on the support he received during the crisis, Louis Barnard said he felt inspired by the unity he experienced among South Africans. (Photo: Supplied / Louis Barnard)



Barnard said he realised the trip had taken a very different turn from what he expected when he was sent a video from someone in Witsieshoek illustrating how much snow had fallen. When people at the guest house were mobilising to help, Barnard said he initially thought they were joking when they mentioned that people were stuck in snow, but he did not hesitate to spring into action.

“When we walked down the street, we saw them. So it was a thing of ‘Oh my goodness, these people actually do need help, so let’s jump in.’ I was actually standing next to the highway and actually seeing how people were sliding down, trying to just get some food and water,” he said. 

Borrowing shovels and creating pathways 


Barnard and his friend went to nearby homes and borrowed shovels that they used to clear paths for people who were cold and hungry after being stuck in their cars for hours, some with children inside.

“The locals gave us some shovels and we actually created steps for people and took the snow away so that they just didn’t have to slide, because snow can get really, really slippery when it ices and melts,” he said.

Barnard said the toll of the ordeal was evident: “Looking at people’s faces, you could see that they were tired. There were people in their summer clothes, literally shorts and T-shirts.

“We also went from car to car, walking long stretches and asking people if they needed help or anything, checking if they were okay. There were, for example, people with families in their cars, like small kids in the cars stuck there, so the dads would walk with us and we would help them down. There were people walking for kilometres to get to a supermarket,” he said. 

Embracing altruism in tough times


Barnard unexpectedly became a Good Samaritan during his trip, reflecting on how helping others lifted his spirits.

“I think when you’re so stuck and you’re so down, being able to actually go out and help other people, even though you're quite down, it was very, very moving to me, and I think that’s also why this thing was so emotional for me,” he said. 

Barnard also has a blog dedicated to educating people about money and property investing.

“It’s something small that I can do to change society and to help people, and if we can all just do that little small thing, I think South Africa would be a very different place,” he said. 

“Do the good that your hands find you to do.  I think that oftentimes we are very selfish and we’re not willing to actually just get out of our comfort zones. I could conveniently have slept late that morning because I had a warm bed, but just doing a little bit helps — just getting up and just doing the good that your hands want you to do.”

Reflecting on the support he received during the crisis, Barnard shared his thoughts on the unity he experienced among South Africans.  

“Listen, I’m a South African, and I’m able to help where I can, and the people, literally, from every race, colour, all South Africans backed me and said, it’s not DNA, it’s RSA. That was probably the most proud moment for me,” he said. 

“I think just in the moment I was so caught up in saying, ‘Listen, there’s this old lady, she’s trying just to walk down, let’s just hold her hand and just help her down.’ It’s such a humbling experience.” DM

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