Pretoria - There will be road closures and parking restrictions in areas surrounding Parliament for Thursday’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), Lt Gen Solomon Makgale, said on Wednesday.
Makgale said the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), which coordinates all security and law enforcement for the President’s annual SONA, is satisfied with the progress being made with its security planning.
“The nation at large, particularly the community of Cape Town is advised that there will be limited access in areas surrounding Parliament, meaning that there will be road closures and parking restrictions,” he said.
Later today, the City of Cape Town Metro Police will have road closures for the final SONA rehearsal starting from 17:00 to 23:59 in the following areas:
City and Foreshore
Adderley St: between Hans Strijdom Ave and Wale St. Wale St. between Burg and Adderley St. Nelson Mandela Blvd inbound: Strand St off-ramp.
Bureau St: between Adderley and Parliament Sts. Spin St: between Adderley and Parliament St’s.
Parliament St: between Parliament and Longmarket St.
There would be exercise, but with no closure on Newlands-Rondesbosch-Mowbray-Observatory-Salt River- Woodstock-Cape Town.
M3 (Union Ave, Rhodes Dr, de Waal Dr) inbound: Newlands Ave to Jutland Ave. including pedestrian bridges and on-ramps: UCT and Woolsack Dr Barnham Rd (use Buitekant St or Crassula Ave.)
Woolsack Dr Westbround: Main Rd (M4)-Rhodes Dr, Anzio Rd: Groote Schuur Hospital to de Waal Dr. N2 (Settlers Way, Nelson Mandela Blvd) inbound: Muizenberg off-ramp to Table Bay Blvd.
Thursday’s road closures
Tomorrow, the following roads will be closed and points men, as well as clear signs, indicating alternate routes, will be in place:
• Klipper Road in Newlands from Main Road (M4) to Newlands Avenue
• Princess Anne Avenue in Newlands from Newlands Avenue to Union Avenue
• Newlands Avenue in Newlands from Dean Street to Princess Anne Avenue
• Dean Street in Newlands, westbound from Main Road (M4) to Newlands Avenue
• M3 Union Avenue, Rhodes Drive, De Waal Drive and the city-bound highway from Newlands Avenue to the city centre
• Woolsack Drive in Rondebosch, westbound between Main Road (M4) and Rhodes Drive (M3)
• Anzio Road in Observatory, from Main Road (M4) to De Waal Drive (M3)
• N2, Settlers Way, the city-bound highway from Main Road (M4) to the city centre
• Nelson Mandela Boulevard (N2), city-bound from Hospital Bend to Christiaan Barnard, including the Melbourne Road, Rondebloem Road and Searle Street on-ramps.
Temporary fencing will be set up. Perpetrators will face criminal charges should they be caught tampering with the fencing or breaching it in any way.
Furthermore, on the day of the event, only people with valid accreditation will be allowed into restricted areas in and around Parliament.
All demonstrations are being catered for in designated areas only. For this purpose, speakers' corners have been set up in the following areas:
- Corner of Keizersgracht & Primrose Streets, Zonnebloem
- Grand Parade, Darling Street, Cape Town
Currently, there is a no-fly zone over Parliament and the areas surrounding it and this restriction will also apply on the day of the event.
All makes of aircrafts, aerodrones and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) will not be allowed in this restricted airspace.
Additional Controlled Roads & Closures:
Security fencing will line the route in the CBD. There will be guarded pedestrian crossing points during peak time on Adderley St (Castle and Shortmarket Sts.), Plein St (Shortmarket, Spin and Barrack Sts.) and Strand St (at the bus terminus). Company Gardens will be closed on Thursday 12 February from 9:00 to 23:59.
Parking Restrictions on Thursday from midnight to 22:00
No parked vehicles will be permitted in the following areas:
Newlands: Princess Anne Ave.
CBD / Foreshore area:
Adderley St: between Strand and Wale St’s.
Darling St: outbound between Plein and Buitenkant St’s, reserved between:
Plein and Parade for taxis from Plein St
Parade and Buitenkant for Parliamentary buses
Strand St: between Adderley and Christiaan Barnard St overpass.
Parliament / Company Gardens area:
Church Square: corner of Spin & Parliament Sts.
Roeland St: between Jutland Ave. & Plein St.
Plein St: between Strand & Roeland Sts.
St. John’s St: between Roeland & Orange Sts
Spin St: between Parliament & Plein Sts.
Parliament St: between Longmarket & Bureau Sts.
Hatfield St: between Roeland & Orange Sts.
St. Mary’s Cathedral Parking Area: between Bouquet & Roeland Sts.
Gallery Lane; Queen Victoria Ave.
Commercial St: between Buitenkant and Plein St.
Alternative Routes:
Road users are advised to use the following alternative routes to the City Bowl during the event:
From the N2 (Settler’s Way): use the N1, Table Bay Blvd via M5 (Black River Parkway), or M7 (Vanguard Dr).
From the M3 (Union Ave): use the M5 (Black River Parkway) and N1 (Table Bay Blvd) or M4 (Main Rd), onto Victoria Rd up to the Good Hope Centre. Thereafter left onto Tennant Rd or right onto Christiaan Barnard Rd to circle the outer CBD.
Outer CBD Circle Road: Use the following ring route to/from the area of the CBD affecting you: Christiaan Barnard Rd; Table Bay Blvd; Buitengracht; Buitensingel St; Orange St; Jutland Ave; Upper Roeland St. / Brandweer St; Tennant St.
Public transport
The Golden Acre bus terminus exit into Plein St will be closed at 18:00 on Thursday 12 February. Bus operations then will be moved to Strand St, between Castle St and Christiaan Barnard St overpass until 20:00.
The City is also reminding commuters that a number of MyCiTi routes will be affected by the road closure rehearsal for Thursday’s State of the Nation Address.
Deviations will be in effect from 16:00 to 18:00 from Tuesday, 10 February 2015 to Thursday 12 February 2015. Routes 102, 103, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 108a, A01, D01 and D03 will be affected. - SAnews.gov.za
