Cape Town – Several roads will be closed in the CBD from tomorrow in preparation for Tuesday's commemorative event to mark the 30th anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela from prison.
South Africa’s first president served 27 years in prison – first on Robben Island and later in the Pollsmoor and Victor Verster (now known as the Drakenstein Correctional Centre) prisons.
According to the City of Cape Town Traffic Service, Darling Street and surrounds will have traffic restrictions in place from 1am on Monday until 10pm on Tuesday.
From 1am on Monday, no vehicles will be allowed to stop in front of City Hall between Parade and Corporation streets. From 9am on Monday, Darling Street will be reduced to two single lanes.
Then, from 6pm on Monday, Darling Street will be closed to traffic between Lower Plein and Buitenkant streets until the conclusion of the event the following day. Also, from this time, no parking will be permitted in Corporation and Parade streets.
The City appealed to motorists to seek alternative routes where possible as the restrictions/closures will likely result in some traffic congestion.
Staff will be on duty in the area to redirect traffic.
The City Hall balcony is where Mandela addressed the nation hours after his release from prison on February 11, 1990.
The anniversary also marks the unbanning of political parties and the formal end of apartheid, and takes place two days before President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers the State of the Nation address.
From 8am to 10.30am at the Drakenstein Correctional Centre on Tuesday, members of the reception committee who facilitated Mandela’s return from prison will reunite.
Thandiswa Mazwai, lead vocalist and songwriter for South African band Bongo Maffin, will perform at a free event at the Grand Parade on the day.
“That moment signified a seismic shift in South African politics. From that day onwards, Mandela began in earnest the project of transformation and nation-building in SA," said Nelson Mandela Foundation communications manager Kneo Mokgopa.
"Thirty years later we commemorate that moment in history and recommit ourselves to the project of transformation and nation-building.”