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Hello everyone

We are travelling from Pretoria to Phalaborwa gate in two weeks' time. I heard today that the road between Pieterburg (Polokwane) and Tzaneen has major roadworks and I was advised to add an hour to our journey as apparently there is only one lane open.

Has someone travelled on this road recently and is there an alternative we could use?

Thanks for your help.

Just use the Duivelskloof/Modjadjis kloof road, 12 km's longer but nice, done it many times in the past month.

During July 2011, we had a 20 minute delay in Magoebaskloof due to road works...only one lane open. That was on a Saturday and during the week it could be much worse!

if you drive georges valley, it is open no roadworks. but just before steven lumber mills is a stop for about 20 mins. apparently magoebas is still chaotic. i think when they're done the road would be awesome, they're making it bigger.

Just been there. Even with a 10-minute stop go, the Polokwane-Moria-Haenertsburg road is the best route.

I did Phalaborwa to Jhb via Lydenburg Dullstroom Belfast on Thursday and it wasnt too bad

Hi Bushdancer,

Went up to Phalaborwa last weekend via Belfast, Dullstroom, Lydenburg, Orighstad....no road works anywhere...5.5 hours....very nice drive.

Okay,

We usually take the N1 from Pretoria to Polokwane, then the R71 to Tzaneen and from there on to Phalaborwa.

Now I'm just wondering, at Haenertsburg (more-or-less) one can choose to continue on the R71 to Tzaneen past "Woodbush" (I assume this is the "Magoebaskloof" road you all are talking about? Or am I wrong?). Or one can take the R528 past Ebenezer to Tzaneen. Are there any roadworks on this alternative route?

Scipio, would the route that you recommend be the R81 from Polokwane and then the R36 through Modjadjiskloof to Tzaneen? (Where exactly is Duiwelskloof? Google-maps say "Modjadjiskloof = Duiwelskloof. Correct? )

Modjajikloof and Duiwelskloof are the same (name change)

Woodbush is the Magoebaskloof pass and the other past Ebenezer dam is Georges Valley.

From what I can gather, but could be mistaken, the roadworks are after Stevens Lumber mill and before the village of Haenertsburg?

There is an alternative with about 10ks of sand road, on the Pietersburg-Haenertsburg road, turn left at the sasol garage towards Mankweng/University of North. Travel along that route past hospital and university and about 10 k's past University, there will be a turn off to the right (Happy Rest) turn right here and go straight along this windy route, it will eventually become a gravel road, at the T-junction/split turn left and drive this road for about 10 k's (nice scenic route), it will come out at the top of Magoebaskloof where you turn left and go down the kloof.

Any feedback on the roadworks scipio? In which direction are they working?

Hiya all,

OK, Route via Lydenburg, Dullstroom Hoedspruit. It takes a bit longer, but the road has been fixed, (Pothole) Only a small part before Ohrigstad with Potholes, Sometimes some trucks to hold you up, some 6 hours driving sedately. BUT, I do not suggest you take this road in rainy/misty weather, You may do 200km's at 20km/h, & this is no joke, I have done it.

Route Via Polokwane, If you go Via Magoebas, or Georges Valley there is a large stretch of road closed to 1 lane, Waiting periods can be anything between a few seconds to 1,5 hours. Average a good 40 minutes, and with recent rains, it is worse.

The road via Modjadji's/Duivelskloof, 12 km's longer than the other, and a short stretch of roadworks just before Tzaneen, waiting period, maximum 10 minutes, and this road is pleasant to drive especially towing as there is only one little downhill pass.

Good weather, daylight, go via Lydenburg, it is very scenic, otherwise, Modjadjis/Duivelskloof. Jus my opinion.

Just a warning to anyone wanting to travel on the road from Polokwane to Phalaborwa or up to Punda Maria / Pafuri gates.

There are now roadworks everywhere!
1. R71 (past Moria towards Tzaneen). There are roadworks before Moria, but I saw yesterday that they are 3/4 finished with the other side of the road, so it may be open within the next month or so. From Moria to Haenertsburg there are daily blasting and this may delay you for 1 hour 'additionally' if you are unlucky to catch that one. It seems they do the blasting early in the morning if weather allows it.

Also on that road is a stop-and-go delay that can add 30 minutes to your traveling time. Not only may you have slow trucks infront of you, but you may have to dodge the idiotic and impatient reckless drivers who try to pass you on the left or try to force their way to the front of the queue.....

After Haenertsburg you have a choice of going on the Georges Valley road. Unfortunately most trucks also take this road and there was 1 x stop-and-go on that road recently, so they are also now working on that piece. Although, it did not delay us for more than 15 minutes.

If you take the Magoebaskloof road (after Haenertsburg, just keep straight), there are odd roadworks, but usually not stops and you may just have to drive slower on some parts of the road.

After Magoebaskloof there was a big Stop-and-go past Debegeni waterfall turnoff, but this road has been opened last week and now that 30 minutes delay is gone! Thank goodness for that.

Just outside of Tzaneen (coming in and going out) there are roadworks, but the stops are quite short.

2. Duiwelskloof / Modjadjiskloof road: R81

This road has several stop-and-goes everywhere!! You may add 1 hour to your traveling time depending how you catch the stops. When I was on that road in September, it took me 2 hours and 15 minutes to travel 105 km!

If you are turning towards Giyani before Duiwelskloof on the way to Punda Maria or Pafuri, I will recommend that you take an alternative (will explain), because there are more roadworks on this road to Giyani (about 2 stop-and-goes) and can add about 40 minutes if you are unlucky.

There is an alternative to get to Punda or Pafuri. You can continue straight on the N1 towards Louis Trichardt. Just before you enter the town of Louis Trichardt, you turn off to your right towards Giyani. (R578). This road is about 90 km and brings you out at Giyani. There you turn left and you are back on track! (another 80 km to the Punda Gate from Giyani)

However, I don't know if they may have started working on the road from Giyani to Punda Maria? I will be on that road next week and report back.

The other alternative is to also take the N1 to Louis Trichardt. There are 3 fourway stops as you enter town. At the last one turn right on the R524. That road takes you to Thohoyandou and then to Punda gate.
This road is not very good and there are large pieces where you travel through villages - cattle and pedestrians.

GOOD LUCK!! When these roads are completed, it will be such a pleasure to drive on them!

I'm getting sort of worried about our upcoming trip to Shingwedzi in December. It's only a short 4 days, 3 nights, and we want to spent as much time as possible in the park rather than wasting time outside the park.

What other gate besides Phalaborwa is a viable option for Pretoria to Shingwedzi? We'd rather not go all the way up to Punda Maria gate, wasting time that we could've spend in the park, and I'm worried that Orpen may be a bit too far (not to mention that the drive from Pretoria to Orpen usually takes at least 2 hours more than the drive to Phalaborwa gate).

Dabchick on 3rd Nov I did the sand road route that I mentioned on previous page, the road was a little bumpy as it looks like it has not been scrapped in ages, but it was fine.

I think depending on the time you leave will determine the route and I think we have to realise it will be Dec holidays so I do not think there will be blasting and work being done on the routes (biggest time consumer for the stop go past Haenertsburg I am told). If you leave early so you are early at roadworks (before 6-30) I reckon you could get past there quite quickly as there will be little traffic.

If you like I will give you my cell number and if you remind me closer to your departure date I will call one of my cousins who works at Stevens lumber mills and stays in Haenertsburg/ Magoebaskloof, so they do the route daily.

They were busy with widenings in the mountain pass begining of november ndloti. Dont see them finishing there very soon. They first do layerworks on one side and when that is finished they move the traffic over to the new section and start with layerworks there. Very long process. They could be busy there the whole of next year even. Rather go past lydenburg