Roads closed off ahead of SONA

Several roads in the Cape Town city centre were closed off to traffic on Thursday. The road closures came just hours before President Jacob Zuma delivered his State of the Nation address before Parliament.

As part of the preparations going into the President’s address, roads in and around Cape Town were closed to ensure the smooth flow of traffic for delegates expected at the proceedings. Parking restrictions were also be imposed in a number of roads.

Although most road closures will be much later in the day, some streets in the parliament precinct have already been closed – mainly for security reasons.

Roads that have been closed include:

• Gallery Lane;
• Plein Street closed between Roeland and Barrack Streets;
• St John’s Road closed between Plein Street and Vrede Street;
• Roeland Street between Buitenkant and Plein Streets.

All these roads will remained closed until 1am .

This afternoon’s road closures will start at 17:45. Roads heading towards the city centre will be affected.

Road Closures on Thursday 9 February – 17h45 to 19h00 (about 35 minutes)
• Klipper Road, Newlands: from Main Road (M4) to Newlands Avenue
• Princess Anne Avenue, Newlands: from Newlands Avenue to Union Avenue
• Newlands Avenue, Newlands: from Dean Street to Princess Anne Avenue
• Dean Street, Newlands, westbound: from Main Road (M4) to Newlands Avenue
• M3, Union Avenue, Rhodes Drive, De Waal Drive, City-bound carriageway: from Newlands Avenue to city centre
• Woolsack Drive, Rondebosch, westbound: between Main Road (M4) and Rhodes Drive (M3)
• Anzio Road, Observatory: from Main Road (M4) to De Waal Drive (M3)
• N2, Settlers Way City-bound carriageway: from Main Road (M4) to city centre
• Nelson Mandela Boulevard (N2) City-bound: from Hospital Bend to Oswald Pirow (including the Melbourne Road, Roodebloem Road and Searle Street on-ramps) 16h00 to 20h00
• Nelson Mandela Boulevard: Strand Street off-ramp
• Hertzog Boulevard inbound: from Nelson Mandela Boulevard to Heerengracht
• Strand Street: from Russel Street to Adderley Street
• Strand Street between Long Street and Adderley Street
• Adderley Street: from Hans Strijdom Avenue to Wale Street
• Heerengracht: between Coen Steytler and Hans Strijdom Avenues
• Wale Street outbound: between Queen Victoria Street and Adderley Street
• Bureau Street: between Adderley Street and Parliament Street
• Spin Street: between Corporation Street and Parliament Street
• Parliament Street from the gates of Parliament to approximately 35m before Longmarket Street (excluding the parking garage situated in Parliament Street)
• Plein Street between Barrack Street and Spin Street
• Closure of the Company Gardens

– By Luvuyo Mndeni, Parliament