Motorists and business operators planning to travel through Sandton and Midrand in Gauteng this week may need to take alternate routes, as several roads are being closed ahead of the 15th BRICS Summit that is taking place from tomorrow, 22 August, to Thursday, 24 August.
The event, which will host foreign representatives from Brazil, Russia, India, and China, is being held at the Sandton Convention Centre and there will be a high police presence with checkpoints closing off key roads to all non-essential traffic.
BRICS road closures
Preparations for the South African-held Summit have already begun, as several roads were closed on Sunday at 08h00 and will only be opened at midnight this Thursday, including:
- Corner Maude and West Streets
- Corner West Street and Alice Lane
- Corner Alice Lane and 5th Street
Additional road closures will take place on Wednesday, 23 August, near the Midrand Gallagher Estate.
These closures will remain in place on the following roads from 15h00 until midnight:
- Gallagher Avenue and Richards Drive
- Richards Drive traffic circle
- Johnnic Boulevard and Lupton Street
- Johnnic Boulevardand Pretoria Main Road
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) said that the lanes closest to the Sandton Convention Centre will be closed off completely, while other roads will be temporarily converted into one-way streets.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla also said that motorists should expect disruptions at Rivonia Road, Melville Road, and Helling Road, as the BRICS Heads of State are attending a retreat at the Summer Place Conference Venue, according to EWN.
Despite the high-profile event, electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said that the area has not been given any exemptions for load-shedding, according to Daily Maverick.
This means that traffic lights in Sandton and Midrand are still likely to be inoperable for parts of the day, so it’s recommended that motorists plan their routes in advance to avoid traffic delays.
Google Map view of the Sandton Convention Centre and surrounding streets.
Additional security measures
The arrival of high-profile figures from the BRICS Nations, including Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and South African President Cyril Rhamaphosa, means that the Sandton area will have a high-visibility police presence this week, including vehicle and air patrols.
The Civil Aviation Authority has issued a restricted airspace notice, covering an area of two nautical miles and five thousand vertical feet with the summit venue at the epicentre, reported TimesLive.
“All flyers are advised that this is a strictly no-drone zone. Those found to be operating drones in the vicinity will be in breach of the restriction imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority and steps will be taken against those who transgress,” it said.
Keyword: Road closures for BRICS Summit in South Africa this week – Times and dates