On Thursday 11 February, Jacob Zuma will give his State of the Nation Address (SONA) at Parliament, and boy is there a lot for the president to talk about. Between the flailing economy, the #FeesMustFall movement and the startling declaration by Zuma that he will pay back the money for Nkandla, a lot is expected from this speech. While the whole country will be watching this vital address, for those of us who live or work in the CBD, SONA brings a lot of admin with it.

There will be road closures in and around the city; public transport and parking will be affected and News24 reports that three groups have been given permission to protest in the city during SONA. To help you navigate the next few days, here is what you need to know. The City of Cape Town states that road closures will affect traffic on the M3, N2 city-bound lanes and Newlands. While SONA is on Thursday, road closures will commence on Tuesday 9 February.

Here is a brief breakdown of which roads will be closed:

Tuesday and Wednesday

Bureau Street: between Adderley and Parliament Streets / Spin Street: between Corporation and Parliament Street / Parliament Street: between Parliament and Longmarket Street. John’s Road: between Roeland and Vrede Street’s Gallery Lane / Bouquet Street: whole / Roeland Street: between Plein and Buitenkant Streets / Commercial Street.

These streets will be closed between 5 pm and 12 am and Harrington street will be closed from 5 pm to 7 pm.

Thursday

All the streets mentioned above will be closed from 4 pm with the addition of: Adderley Street: between Strand Street and Wale Street / Plein Street / Hope Street / Roland Street / Buitenkant Street.  The M3 / N2 inbound / Woolsack Drive / Azario road will also  be closed. In Newlands, the following roads will be closed Klipper Road / Princess Anne Avenue / Newlands Avenue.

On SONA day, no cars will be allowed to park in any parking bays around the Parliament and the Company Gardens area, including the St. Mary’s Cathedral Parking Area. Adderly, Strand and Darling street will also be no Park zones. In Newlands, you will not be allowed to park on Klipper Road or Princess Anne Avenue.

For a full timetable and alternative routes click here.

Public Transport 

For those who make use of busses, you should not be too badly affected but there will be route changes to accommodate all the road closures. The MyCiTi stops at Darling, Lower Buitenkant, Roeland and Roodehek will be closed. The bus will divert via Loop/Long Street and Buitensingel Street to/from the Gardens stop. Groote Kerk Stop will also be closed and you can use the Longmarket or Church stops instead.

Be sure to plan your routes home carefully on these days as there will be heavy traffic. Good luck and happy driving!

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22 Comments
  • Janine Sue Coetzee
    Janine Sue Coetzee
    February 9, 2016 at 1:06 pm

    Kat Alice Coetzee this might affect me getting into town?

  • Jennifer Bircher
    Jennifer Bircher
    February 9, 2016 at 4:34 pm

    That’s just ridiculous

  • Kristian Gorissen
    Kristian Gorissen
    February 9, 2016 at 6:35 pm

    Is the Sona open for the public to attend? Would like to go and see it up close…

  • Tamara Gans
    Tamara Gans
    February 9, 2016 at 6:52 pm

    I like how this article doesn’t make Amy mention regarding getting in and out of ones apartment parking lot?! I know of plenty people Livni g in the city centre that won’t be able to gain access to their own flats.

  • Elbie Strauss Dorman
    Elbie Strauss Dorman
    February 9, 2016 at 6:56 pm

    They cannot think proactively to work that one out how citizens of Cape Town will gain entrance to their flats.

  • Faizel Moose
    Faizel Moose
    February 9, 2016 at 7:05 pm

    Awesum how they think just another screwd up jobby will we ever get rid of these morons

  • Richard Willmore
    Richard Willmore
    February 9, 2016 at 8:00 pm

    Zooma obviously afraid…..

  • Ingrid Peters
    Ingrid Peters
    February 9, 2016 at 8:30 pm

    Thanks for reminding me to check

  • Pieter Botha
    Pieter Botha
    February 9, 2016 at 9:37 pm

    I’ll be attending the #ZumaMustFallMarch while JZ tries to read from a piece of paper U0001f44dU0001f1ffU0001f1e6

  • Nico Bester
    Nico Bester
    February 9, 2016 at 10:17 pm

    Should close the roads afterwards and lock them in the building of hoe

  • Maritz Beukes
    Maritz Beukes
    February 9, 2016 at 11:06 pm

    Think this SONA is obviously for people who have zero education, no ears, cannot read and no eyes to see for themselfs what is happening in SA. Maybe another jz fantasy dream speach completely divorced from reality.

  • Wendy Arendse Wyngaard
    Wendy Arendse Wyngaard
    February 10, 2016 at 7:40 am

    It will affect traffic in and outbound as it has been for years as traffic has to detour via routes that are accessible

  • Lloyd Thomas
    Lloyd Thomas
    February 10, 2016 at 10:20 am

    Why?….. Does he dribble?…..

  • Max Bowyer
    Max Bowyer
    February 10, 2016 at 12:52 pm

    Will it be confessions time in Parliament?? I don’t think so!! They’ll turn Paradise (Cape Town) into a parking lot, ha ha ha ha.

  • Reini Adelbert
    Reini Adelbert
    February 10, 2016 at 1:37 pm

    we will need to close more than roads

  • Aubrey O'Callaghan
    Aubrey O'Callaghan
    February 10, 2016 at 1:48 pm

    Why bother with the “state of the union” address?
    EVERYONE KNOWS THE UNION IS IN A TERRIBLE STATE !!!

  • Gert Barnard
    Gert Barnard
    February 10, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    Daai sirkus vind elke jaar plaas en die narre kom al van vroeg af aan. Verlede jaar is van die sirkusnarre sonder water gelos in daardie snikhete lugverkoelde sirkus gebou.

  • Wayne Domnick
    Wayne Domnick
    February 10, 2016 at 4:17 pm

    I wonder if they will “close” the cell network again too!

  • Noma-afrika Alakhe Nkwenkwe-Maxwele
    Noma-afrika Alakhe Nkwenkwe-Maxwele
    February 10, 2016 at 9:03 pm

    Thank you sweetheart!!

  • Valmay van der Merwe
    Valmay van der Merwe
    February 11, 2016 at 5:35 am

    The pope is coming

  • Stuart Kirkbright-Dewing
    Stuart Kirkbright-Dewing
    February 11, 2016 at 7:25 am

    Lets hope its a resignation speech

  • Ian Jackson
    Ian Jackson
    February 11, 2016 at 8:23 am

    another waste of money exercise

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