Traffic ground to a halt on the N3 near Montrose, in the Free State, on Friday morning after a truck carrying cooking oil overturned.

The N3 Toll Concession said the route in the vicinity of Montrose had been closed to traffic in both directions.

“This is as a result of an earlier incident involving a heavy vehicle carrying cooking oil which has spilled onto the road,” said operations manager Thania Dhoogra.

“The slippery road surface is contributing to dangerous driving conditions. In the interest of public safety, local law enforcement has closed the road in both directions.

“All traffic is stacked at the scene.

“Road users are advised to avoid the area and/or delay their trips for the time being. Delays are expected while extensive cleanup operations are under way.

“The road will be open to traffic as soon as it is safe to do so.”

TimesLIVE