Roads to be closed for SONA

Final preparations at the National Assembly ahead of the State of the Nation Address by Jacob Zuma today. (Image: GCIS)

The national government has requested the City of Cape Town to close off the roads as officials conduct rehearsals for the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

President Jacob Zuma will deliver this administration's last SONA in Parliament at 19:00 today, and the speech will be broadcast live on TV and radio on all official languages.

The road closures will affect the normal flow of traffic in and around the City Bowl and road users are asked to plan their routes accordingly.

Tonight, roads that will be affected include:

• Hertzog Boulevard incoming: from Nelson Mandela Boulevard to Heerengracht
• Nelson Mandela Boulevard: Strand Street off-ramp
• Strand Street westbound (incoming): from Russell Street to Adderley Street
• Adderley Street: from Hans Strijdom Avenue to Wale Street
• Heerengracht: between Walter Sisulu and Hans Strijdom Avenues
• Bureau Street: between Adderley and Parliament Streets
• Spin Street: between Corporation and Parliament Streets
• Parliament Street: from the gates of Parliament to Longmarket Street

Today, the day of the speech, roads will be closed temporarily from 06:00 and at different time intervals. Affected major routes will include the Nelson Mandela Boulevard, Roeland Street, Plein Street, Klipper Road in Newlands and Adderley Street from Wale Street to Table Bay Boulevard.

At 19:00, when President Zuma starts reading the speech, the following roads will be closed:

• Walter Sisulu Avenue from Lower Long to Heerengracht outbound
• Heerengracht from Walter Sisulu Avenue to Table Bay Boulevard
• Lower Long Street from Walter Sisulu Avenue to Table Bay Boulevard inbound (CTICC side)
• Roads around the Cape Town International Convention Centre

For a full schedule on road closures, motorists can visit www.Parliament.gov.za.