Road closures ahead of SONA

Certain Cape Town streets will be closed today, and there will also be a number of parking restrictions and a no-fly zone for the State of The Nation Address this evening. (Image: NASA)

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 today," he said.

Today's road closures

Today, 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 today.

All makes of aircraft, aerodrones [sic] 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 today 12 February from 9am to 23.59pm.

Parking Restrictions today from midnight to 10pm

No parked vehicles will be permitted in the following areas:

• Newlands: Princess Anne Ave
• CBD / Foreshore area:
• Adderley St: between Strand and Wale Sts
• Darling St: outbound between Plein and Buitenkant Sts, 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 6pm today. Bus operations then will be moved to Strand St, between Castle St and Christiaan Barnard St overpass until 8pm.

Map indicating road closures