Scenery near the pass
Scenery near the pass - Photo: Wikimedia

Masjiennek (which translates from Afrikaans into Machine Neck) is to all intents and purposes the western connecting pass between Lydenburg and the Long Tom Pass. It starts 4 km west of the Long Tom Pass summit point and descends through 609 meters of altitude to end just outside Lydenburg over an 11,9 km traverse. This produces a comfortable average gradient of 1:20, but some sections are fairly steep at 1:10.

The road is in good condition and has been well engineered. It includes 27 bends, corners and curves, most of which have an easy radius, but there a few bends requiring a reduction in speed down to 50 kph. It is subject to heavy mountain mists with the accompanying low visibility risks and carries heavy traffic, which includes articulated mining and logging trucks. Together with the Koffiehoogte on the eastern side of the Long Tom Pass, the trio of passes form one long continious pass between Lydenburg and Sabie.



The full content of this article is restricted to subscribers.

Subscribe for only R550 a year and get full access to our website (936+ mountain passes), including the videos, the full text of all mountain passes articles, fact-file, interactive map, directions and route files.

Subscribe Now (1 year)

New: Lifelong subscription. You'll never have to worry about annual renewals or price increases. Enjoy a Lifetime Subscription to our website for just R5,000 once-off.

Subscribe Now (Lifetime subscription)

If you have already subscribed to our site, you can Log in to view the full article.

Log in


You will gain full access to the best parts of the website, which include:

  • the full content (non subscribers only see about 10% of the text) of 936+ mountain passes,
  • plus you get the video(s),
  • Fact File,
  • Interactive Map,
  • Directions
  • and the downloadable Route File.

You will also get our weekly newsletter packed with the latest interesting passes information delivered to your email each Thursday.

Paid subscribers qualify for 10% off the digital downloads from our online shop.

Still not convinced?

You can visit five ‘Open’ pass pages on Mountain Passes South Africa to evaluate what you’ll be getting: