Motorists in Cape Town have been advised to familiarise themselves with the planned road closures and parking restrictions around the Parliamentary precinct to avoid being inconvenienced by the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The SONA is likely to take place in Parliament on Friday, following the election of a new President in the National Assembly this afternoon. Former President Jacob Zuma resigned as the Head of State last night.
The important State of the Nation Address will outline government’s plans for the year ahead under a new administration.
The City of Cape Town said roads, mostly in the CBD, will be closed from 6am until midnight on Friday.
“The road closures will affect the normal flow of traffic in and around the city bowl, Newlands, and the M3 and N2 city-bound lanes. As such, road users are asked to plan their routes accordingly,” the city said on Thursday.
Road users are alerted to the closure of the M3 and N2 at 5:45pm on Thursday. The M5 will therefore be the best option as an alternative route.
Wale Street, between Burg and Adderley Streets, will be closed from 6am until 11:45pm.
The following roads will be closed from 6am until 11:59 pm:
- Bureau Street, between Adderley and Parliament Streets
- Spin Street, between Corporation and Parliament Streets
- Parliament Street, between Parliament and 35m from Longmarket Street (excluding parking garage access point)
- Plein Street, between Roeland and Longmarket Streets
- St. John’s Road, between Roeland and Vrede Streets
- Mostert street, between Plein and Buitenkant Streets
The following roads will be closed from 6am until 11:45pm:
- Hope Street, between Roeland and Wesley Streets
- Glynn Street, between Buitenkant and Hope Streets
- Wesley Street, between Buitenkant and Hope Streets
- Gallery Lane, the whole road
- Government Avenue, the whole road
- Bouquet Street, the whole road and parking area
- Commercial Street, between Plein and Buitenkant Streets
- Church Square
There will be road closures from 5:45am until 7:15pm - for 90 minutes - in Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray, Observatory, Salt River, Woodstock and Cape Town. These include:
- the M3 (Union Avenue, Rhodes Drive, de Waal Drive) inbound: Newlands Avenue to Jutland Avenue, including pedestrian bridges and on-ramps: UCT and Woolsack Drive, Barnham Road, use Buitenkant Street (open) or Crassula Avenue
- Woolsack Drive westbound, Main Road (M4) - Rhodes Drive (M3)
- Anzio Road, Groote Schuur Hospital to de Waal Drive (M3)
- N2 (Settlers Way, Nelson Mandela Boulevard) inbound, Muizenberg off-ramp (M3) to Roodebloem Road
The following roads in Newlands will be closed from 5:45am until 7:15pm:
- Klipper Road, Main Road (M4) to Newlands Avenue
- Princess Anne Avenue, Newlands Avenue to Union Avenue
- Newlands Avenue, Dean Street to Princess Anne Avenue
- Dean Street westbound, Main Road (M4) to Newlands Avenue
Additionally, security fencing will line the route in the CBD. There will be guarded pedestrian crossing points during peak time on Adderley Street (Castle and Shortmarket Streets) and Plein Street (Shortmarket, Spin and Barrack Streets).
The Company Gardens will be closed on Friday from 6am to 23:59pm.
Darling Street between Adderley and Buitenkant Streets and Wale Street between Adderley and Queen Victoria Streets may be closed during the day for security reasons.
Contingency closures in case of an emergency will include the following roads:
- Barrack Street between Buitenkant and Plein Street
- Albertus Street between Buitenkant and Corporation Street
- Caledon Street between Buitenkant and Corporation Street
- Parade Street between Darling and Caledon Street
- Mostert Street between Buitenkant and Plein Street
- Buitenkant Street between Darling and Wesley / Mill Street
- Darling Street between Adderley Street and Canterbury Street
- Adderley Street between Strand and Bureau Street
- Longmarket Street between Buitenkant and St Georges Mall / Burg Street / Long Street
- Church Street between Burg Street and Adderley Street
- Burg Street between Wale Street and Longmarket Street
The city also warned that there will be parking restrictions from midnight on Friday until 11:45pm. No parked vehicles will be permitted in the following areas:
- Klipper Road, between Main Road and M3
- M3, between Princess Ann and Philip Kgosana Drive (De Wall Drive)
- Princess Anne Avenue
- Adderley Street, between Strand and Wale Streets
- Longmarket & Bureau Street
- Wale Street, Queen Victoria Street & Bureau Street (both sides)
- Darling Street, outbound between Plein and Buitenkant Streets, reserved between: Plein and Parade for taxis from Plein Street and Parade and Buitenkant for Parliamentary buses
- Strand Street, between Adderley and Christiaan Barnard Street overpass
- Church Square, corner of Spin & Parliament Streets
- Roeland Street, between Brandweer & Plein Street
- Plein Street, between Long Market Street & Roeland Streets
- St. John’s Street, between Roeland & Orange Streets
- Spin street, between Parliament & Plein Streets
- Parliament Street, between Longmarket & Bureau Streets
- Hatfield Street, between Roeland & Orange Streets.
- St. Mary’s Cathedral Parking Area, between Bouquet & Roeland Streets
- Gallery Lane
- Bouquet Street
- Queen Victoria Street, Wale Street and Orange Street (both sides)
- Commercial Street, between Buitenkant and Plein Street
- Barrack Street, between Buitenkant and Plein Street
- Albertus Street, between Buitenkant and Corporation Street
- Caledon Street, between Buitenkant and Corporation Street
- Mostert Street, between Buitenkant and Plein Street
- Longmarket Street, between Buitenkant and St Georges Mall
- Hope Street, from Roeland to Wesley Street
- Avenue Street and Paddock Street
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, FW de Klerk Boulavard via M5 (Black River Parkway), or M7 (Jakes Gerwel Dr)
- From the M3 (Union Ave), use the M5 (Black River Parkway) and N1 (FW de Klerk Boulevard) or M4 (Main Rd), onto Victoria Road up to the Good Hope Centre. Thereafter left onto Tennant Road or right onto Christiaan Barnard Road 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 Road, Table Bay Boulevard, Buitengracht, Buitensingel Street, Orange Street, Jutland Avenue, Tennant Street. - SAnews.gov.za
