The City of Cape Town has released the list of roads that will be closed this week ahead of Thursday’s State of the Nation Address.<\/p>\n
“The National Government and the SAPS have requested that a number of roads, mostly in the CBD, be closed for an extended time, starting from 06:00 on Thursday, to accommodate the State of the Nation Address,” a statement read on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
“Some of these road closures in the CBD will also be in effect on the evenings of Tuesday, 7 February and Wednesday, 8 February 2017, when rehearsals for the event are held from 17:00 onward.”<\/p>\n
The road closures will affect the normal flow of traffic in and around the City Bowl, Newlands, and the M3 and N2 city-bound lanes, the statement said.<\/p>\n
Road users have been asked to plan their routes accordingly.<\/p>\n
“The M5 will be best option as an alternative route,” it added, thanking users for their understanding.<\/p>\n
Here is\u00a0a detailed breakdown<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Protests<\/strong><\/p>\n Two protests have been planned in the Cape Town CBD on Thursday during Zuma’s address.<\/p>\n The South African Unintegrated Forces United Front will hold a gathering on the Grand Parade for 100 participants, City spokesperson Priya Reddy told News24.<\/p>\n They have permission to gather between 17:00 and 21:00.<\/p>\n The National Union of Metal Workers have also applied for a protest permit for 500 people. Their application was yet to be confirmed.<\/p>\n The African National Congress, meanwhile, will be holding a “People’s Assembly” on the Grand Parade for approximately 10 000 ANC supporters from 17:00.<\/p>\n President Jacob Zuma is due to attend the rally straight after his SONA address, to discuss “radical economic transformation” with party supporters.<\/p>\n