This was despite fears that heavy rains experienced in the region in recent weeks would leave the showgrounds too waterlogged for the event. Organisers said that although parts of the grounds had been waterlogged, the return of sunny weather – coupled with proactive management strategies and infrastructure investments in recent years – meant they could reassure visitors that the event would go ahead as scheduled.
Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Dr Dirk Strydom, Grain SA’s managing director of Nampo, said the management team had acted swiftly to address the issues caused by the rainfall, including deploying teams to drain excess water, improve surface conditions, and implement other strategies.
“We’ve been monitoring the situation closely and have already taken action to manage the impact of the rain,” he added.
“With the return of sunny weather, preparations are progressing well, and everything is on track for Nampo 2025 to deliver the world-class showcase that our visitors and exhibitors expect.”
When asked about access to the event, Strydom said the team was relieved that the R30 between Bothaville and Nampo Park had been repaired and was open again.
This came after organisers had earlier announced that SANRAL confirmed, in a statement, the closure of the R30 between Bothaville and Orkney due to significant water damage caused by heavy rainfall. The structural integrity of the road had been compromised by water flowing underneath the surface, making conditions unsafe for general traffic, the statement said.
Strydom added that these issues had since been resolved, and the R30 was now open for access Nampo Park from both north (Orkney) and south (Bothaville). The recommended route for heavy vehicles remained the one from Orkney.
Choose the best route to Nampo
According to an advisory issued by Nampo, routes to the venue from various directions varied from green (good condition) to yellow (caution required) to red (poor condition, avoid or proceed with extreme caution).
Green routes are as follows:
- R59 from Viljoenskroon to Bothaville
- R30 from Bloemfontein to Bothaville via Allanridge
- R30 from Orkney to Bothaville (recommended route from the north)
- R76 from Kroonstad to Viljoenskroon
Yellow routes are:
- R700, R719, and R30 from Bloemfontein to Bothaville via Wesselsbron (some potholes; use caution)
- R30 from Klerksdorp to Bothaville via Orkney (some roadworks, but driveable)
Red routes are as follows:
- R59 from Parys to Viljoenskroon (large number of potholes; rerouted due to flooding)
- R59 from Hoopstad to Bothaville (very poor condition)
Extreme caution was urged when using any gravel roads due to flood damage. The recommended alternative between Parys and Viljoenskroon was via the R76 from Vredefort, reconnecting to the R59 via Reitz Street in Viljoenskroon.
Nampo management said it remained in close contact with SANRAL engineers and provincial traffic authorities regarding road conditions.
The team urged visitors to Nampo to plan accordingly to avoid challenging access routes and stay informed by following Grain SA’s official channels for updates on road conditions, access guidelines, and alternative routes.
Updates are available at nampo.co.za or download the Nampo App on Google Play or Apple Store.
