Several routes expected to be affected by road closures ahead of SONA

With the SONA address expected to start at 7 pm, the City in a statement said routes were affected from 5 pm on Tuesday for rehearsals that will continue today.

The City of Cape Town has advised road-users in the metro to plan ahead as several routes are expected to be affected by road closures ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday.

With the SONA address expected to start at 7 pm, the City in a statement said routes were affected from 5 pm on Tuesday for rehearsals that will continue today.

Several streets in the City and Foreshore would be closed from 5 pm until 10 pm on Wednesday and from 6 pm until 7.30pm on Thursday.

In a statement, the City said security fencing would line the route in the CBD.

"There will be guarded pedestrian crossing points during peak time on Plein St (Shortmarket, Spin and Barrack St's.) Pedestrians should be encouraged to make use of Buitenkant Street," the City said.

On SONA day, Company Gardens will be closed from 6 pm until midnight.

"Darling St between Adderley and Buitenkant St's and Wale St between Adderley and Queen Victoria St's may be closed during the day on 20 June for security reasons," read the statement.

Contingency closure in case of an emergency on 20 June 2019 (8 am - 11:45 pm) may include the following roads.

Barrack Street between Buitenkant and Plein Streets

Albertus Street between Buitenkant and Corporation Streets

Caledon Street between Buitenkant and Corporation Streets

Parade Street between Darling and Caledon Streets

Mostert Street between Buitenkant and Plein Streets

Buitenkant Street between Glynn and Wesley / Mill Streets

Darling Street between Adderley and Canterbury Streets

Adderley Street between Strand and Bureau Streets

Longmarket Street between Buitenkant and Long Streets

Church Street between Burg and Adderley Streets

Burg Street between Wale and Longmarket Streets

The City said no parked vehicles will be permitted on the M3 between Princess Ann and Philip Kgosana Drive (De Waal Drive).

In Newlands, vehicles would not be permitted on Princess Anne Ave and Klipper Road, between Main Road and M3. This will also be the case on several roads in the City/Foreshore and Parliament/Company Gardens precincts.

Alternative routes to the City Bowl during the SONA include:

From the N2 (Settler's Way): N1, FW de Klerk Blvd via M5 (Black River Parkway), or M7 (Jakes Gerwel Dr).

From the M3 (Union Ave): M5 (Black River Parkway) and N1 (FW de Klerk Blvd) or M4 (Main Rd), onto Victoria Rd, right onto Christiaan Barnard Rd to circle the outer CBD.

De Villiers is closed; no access to Roeland St; Annandale/Orange St.

Citizens have been advised to use lower CBD and circle around. Unless it's for local access into the residential areas, right onto Christiaan Barnard Rd to circle the outer CBD.

The City said the Golden Acre bus terminus will operate as per normal on Thursday.

"Bus operations from the terminus will proceed via Lower Plein St, Strand in the event Darling St is closed to traffic. Incoming buses will divert via Russell St, Strand St to the terminus. Note with this ceremonial route.

"Buses will operate as per normal from a terminus into Darling St. In the event the Gathering on the Grand Parade becomes disruptive to traffic then exit via Strand St," the City said in the statement.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)