Webcams show eerily deserted highways as lockdown begins

Web cameras on Friday morning displayed images of deserted highways across Gauteng as the first day of a three-week, government-ordered lockdown began to fight the spread of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.

Roads agency Sanral’s i-Traffic website, which displays dozens of webcam images from across Gauteng’s tolled highway network, showed only occasional vehicles – minibus taxis and delivery trucks, mainly – using the road network of South Africa’s richest province. View feeds from the Gauteng highway webcam network here.

During the weekday rush hour, Gauteng’s highways are usually clogged with commuters travelling into business centres such as the Johannesburg CBD, Sandton, Randburg, Midrand and Centurion.

For example, a webcam on the N1 between Malibongwe Drive in Randburg and William Nicol Drive in Sandton showed only a few vehicles on a section of road that is normally bumper to bumper between 6am and 9am.

Other webcams around the country show deserted beaches and tourist attractions. This live-video webcam shows a completely empty beach in the popular resort of Ballito north of Durban.

Most South Africans are required to stay at home during the 21-day lockdown, though they may travel to local supermarkets and pharmacies to buy food and medicine.

Exceptions include health-care workers, private security providers, those working for supermarkets (which are limited to only selling certain essential products), certain municipal services (like refuse collectors), and so on. – © 2020 NewsCentral Media