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- Motorists travelling on the N1 in the Western Cape have been warned to expect delays.
- The highway was closed on Thursday night after a hazardous waste spillage.
- A stop-and-go system has been put in place as authorities work to clear the scene.
Motorists travelling on the N1 highway between Touws River and De Doorns in the Western Cape have been warned to expect delays following a nitric acid spill caused by an overturned tanker.
The road was closed for most of Friday morning and was operating with a stop-and-go system.
Marion de Vries, the acting spokesperson for the provincial traffic department, said authorities hoped to open the road later on Friday.
"It will still take a while to clear, but we have deployed officers from Swellendam, Laingsburg and Vredenburg to assist," she said.
"We're asking motorists to be patient and expect delays."
The hazardous material spill took place on Thursday night, with the fire services of the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) and Breede Valley Municipality on-site overnight, carrying out salvage and clean-up operations.
CWDM spokesperson Jo-Anne Otto said:
The municipalities had deployed all "necessary local authorities", she said.
However, "due to the nature of the substance and the possible impact of the spill", they also called in "specialist technical support personnel" for assistance, along with equipment and protective wear added Otto.
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She said the operation included pumping the gas from the overturned tanker into a fresh tanker so that it could be removed from the scene. Otto added that no loss of life or injuries were reported.
