Tshwane ready for first match

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Pretoria - The City of Tshwane is ready for the first World Cup match at Loftus Stadium today.

This was confirmed at the City's Joint Operations Centre meeting held on Sunday morning to consider feedback from various City departments that will be playing central roles in the operations.

The first match, between Ghana and Serbia, will be played at 4pm. The traffic-free zone has already been put in place around Loftus Stadium. A complete lock-down has been implemented.

The following interactions are already closed: Park/Hill; Park/Orient; Park/Eastwood; Park/Ayton; Ivy/Brecker; Jorissen/Walton James; Walton James/University; University/Lynnwood; and University/Burnett.

The Tshwane Metro Police will be responsible for all the road closures. They will also assist motorists who might have questions.

The City is also providing three park-and-rides facilities. The facilities are: UNISA, LC De Villiers Grounds at the University of Pretoria, and the Rugby Sports Grounds on Totius Street in Brooklyn.

Fans from Johannesburg, Midrand, Ekurhuleni and the north-west and west of the City (Atteridgeville, Mabopane, Soshanguve, and Rustenburg) are encouraged to use the UNISA park-and-ride.

Those from the eastern suburbs of the city are encouraged to use the Rugby Union Sports Grounds.

Fans from the north (Hammanskraal and Limpopo) and east (including Mpumalanga) must use the LC De Villiers Sports Grounds.

The City will be providing busses to shuttle people to the stadium. All park-and-rides will be free. The bus shuttle will also be free. Fans are required to produce their match tickets for the park-and-rides.

A park-and-walk facility will be based at the Pretoria Technical High School sport fields on Wessel Street. Pretoria High School for Girls next to Loftus on Park Street, will serve as parking space for people with disabilities. The park-and-walk will also be free.

The following intersections will be closed: south/west street; south/von willigh streets; lenchen/west streets; and thea/leonie streets.

Overall the City is confident that the plans that have been put in place will be executed with success. We are ready to handle whatever may arise. Tshwane Metro Police, Fire Brigade Services, Disaster management Centre, Ambulance Services and critical City departments are ready and have already been deployed at the stadium, fan fest and PVAs.