Capetonians: it’s that time of the year again when the City of Cape Town closes many of its roads for the opening of Parliament. As part of the pompous affair and fashion extravaganza, President Jacob Zuma will also deliver his all-important State of the Nation Address.

Rehearsals begin this evening at 17h30, and tomorrow at 17h00, finishing up at midnight in both instances, but a number of roads will be officially closed off for Thursday’s event from midnight on Wednesday, 8 February to around midnight on Thursday 9 February.

You could catch the train, bus or a taxi if you wanted to avoid the chaos that always ensues, or, if you’d still prefer to drive to work, these are your affected streets in and around the Cape Town CBD:

Road closures for rehearsals:

7 February 2012 from 17h30 to 23h59
8 February 2012 from 17h00 to 23h59

• Hertzog Boulevard (incoming): from Eastern Boulevard to Heerengracht
• Nelson Mandela Boulevard: Strand Street off-ramp
• Strand Street (incoming): from Russel Street to Adderley Street
• Adderley Street: from Hans Strijdom Avenue to Wale Street
• Heerengracht: between Coen Steytler Avenue and Hans Strijdom Avenue
• Bureau Street: between Adderley Street and Parliament Street
• Spin Street: between Corporation Street and Parliament Street
• Parliament Street from the gates of Parliament to Longmarket Street

State of the nation address Thursday, 9 February 2012

Parking restrictions

From midnight (23h59) Wednesday, 8 February to 23h59 Thursday 9 February 2012

• Princess Anne Avenue, Newlands
• Church Square, corner of Spin Street and Parliament Street
• Roeland Street: Between Plein Street and Buitenkant Street
• Plein Street: Between Roeland Street and Spin Street
• Spin Street: Between Parliament Street and Plein Street
• Parliament Street: Between Longmarket Street and Bureau Street
• Hatfield Street and St John’s Street: Between Roeland Street and Orange Street
• Adderley Street: between Wale Street and Hertzog Boulevard
• St Mary’s Cathedral Parking Area: Between Bouquet Street and Roeland Street
• Gallery Lane
• Queen Victoria Street
• Commercial Street
• Hertzog Boulevard: From Nelson Mandela Boulevard to Heerengracht

Road closures Thursday, 9 February

17h45 to 19h00 (about 35 minutes)

• Klipper Road, Newlands: from Main Road (M4) to Newlands Avenue
• Princess Anne Avenue, Newlands: from Newlands Avenue to Union Avenue
• Newlands Avenue, Newlands: from Dean Street to Princess Anne Avenue
• Dean Street, Newlands, westbound: from Main Road (M4) to Newlands Avenue
• M3, Union Avenue, Rhodes Drive, De Waal Drive, City-bound carriageway: from Newlands Avenue to city centre
• Woolsack Drive, Rondebosch, westbound: between Main Road (M4) and Rhodes Drive (M3)
• Anzio Road, Observatory: from Main Road (M4) to De Waal Drive (M3)
• N2, Settlers Way City-bound carriageway: from Main Road (M4) to city centre
• Nelson Mandela Boulevard (N2) City-bound: from Hospital Bend to Oswald Pirow (including the Melbourne Road, Roodebloem Road and Searle Street on-ramps)

16h00 to 20h00

• Nelson Mandela Boulevard: Strand Street off-ramp
• Hertzog Boulevard inbound: from Nelson Mandela Boulevard to Heerengracht
• Strand Street: from Russel Street to Adderley Street
• Strand Street between Long Street and Adderley Street
• Adderley Street: from Hans Strijdom Avenue to Wale Street
• Heerengracht: between Coen Steytler and Hans Strijdom Avenues
• Wale Street outbound: between Queen Victoria Street and Adderley Street
• Bureau Street: between Adderley Street and Parliament Street
• Spin Street: between Corporation Street and Parliament Street
• Parliament Street from the gates of Parliament to approximately 35m before Longmarket Street (excluding the parking garage situated in Parliament Street)
• Plein Street between Barrack Street and Spin Street
• Closure of the Company Gardens

16h00 on 9 February to 1h00 on 10 February

• Commercial Street from Plein Street to the end of the Nieuw Meester parking facility

06h00 on 9 February to 01h00 on 10 February

• Plein Street: between Roeland Street and Barrack Street
• Roeland Street: between Plein Street and Buitenkant Street – deliveries to businesses or access to private dwellings will not be affected as provisions will be made.
• Government Avenue
• Gallery Lane
• St John’s Road: between Plein Street and Vrede Street
• Commercial Street: to be closed at Plein Street and to become bi-directional from 06h00 until 23h59
• Bouquet Street

[Source: SouthAfricanGovernmentInformation]