ROAD CLOSURES: Avoid traffic hell on Friday when Parliament sits for 1st time

CAPE TOWN - The first sitting of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces will be at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on Friday.

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on Monday announced Friday as the first sitting to swear in MPs and elect the president. This in accordance with the Constitution, which states that the first sitting must be held no later than 14 days after the declaration of election results.

Political parties have been scrambling to form a coalition government after the ANC failed to win an outright majority in the general elections.

With Zondo's announcement this week, Parliament officials are currently hard at work ensuring that the CTICC is up and ready for Friday and Saturday’s sittings of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.

Parliament had to move its serious business from the Cape Town City Hall to accommodate the swearing-in process.

ROAD CLOSURES:

From 18:00 Wednesday evening, the following closures will take effect:

• Two left lanes on Walter Sisulu Avenue at Lower Long Street, towards Heerengracht Street. Only the right lane will be open to traffic; however, on Friday, 14 June and Saturday, 15 June, this lane could be closed as needed
• Lower Long Street is closed from FW De Klerk Boulevard towards Walter Sisulu Avenue
• FW De Klerk Boulevard is closed at Heerengracht Street, with local access only  
• The left lane along Heerengracht Street between the Walter Sisulu Avenue traffic circle and FW De Klerk Boulevard
• The right lane at the MyCiTi depot along FW De Klerk Boulevard
• The left lane on the elevated freeway next to the Convention Centre will be closed from 09:00 on Friday.

The closures will be in place until the events at the CTICC have concluded.

Motorists are urged to avoid the Foreshore area and to use alternative routes, especially during the AM and PM peaks.