A veld fire has brought traffic to a complete standstill on the R72 between Kenton-On-Sea and Alexandria this afternoon. The blaze, which broke out earlier today, is currently being battled by firefighters on the scene.
The incident marks the second such fire in the immediate area in as many days, following a separate veld fire that was successfully extinguished by crews on Tuesday.
The current fire has caused significant disruption on the key coastal route, stranding motorists and halting all travel along the affected stretch of road.
This is part of a concerning pattern of wildfires affecting the Eastern Cape this week. The major N2 highway between Gqeberha and Jeffreys Bay was also plagued by sporadic veld fires on Monday and Tuesday, incidents severe enough to force the temporary closure of that national road.
Authorities have not yet indicated the cause of either fire or provided an estimated time for the reopening of the R72. Firefighters remain on the scene working to contain the latest blaze.
This is a developing story. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.