A severe winter weather system has blanketed large parts of South Africa in snow, hail, and ice, forcing authorities to close numerous major roads and urging motorists to avoid travel where possible. The hardest-hit regions are KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, where key routes including the N3, N6, and several mountain passes have been shut; the Western Cape, Free State, and Mpumalanga are also affected, with closures on passes such as Franschhoek and Long Tom. The Road Traffic Management Corporation has issued urgent warnings, and emergency teams are applying brine to icy surfaces as conditions are expected to remain hazardous and subject to rapid change.