Travellers should prepare for traffic disruptions in Cape Town ahead of the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) this February.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to deliver the address on Thursday, 12 February 2026, at 7pm at Cape Town City Hall, which will result in multiple road closures across the city.
Traffic flow in and around the Cape Town CBD will be affected before, during and after the event, with disruptions extending to surrounding suburbs and major arterial routes.
Road Closures
Road closures will be in place from Monday, 9 February to Thursday, 26 February 2026, affecting large parts of the Cape Town CBD, Foreshore and major commuter routes. In the city centre, roads, including Darling Street, Plein Street, Corporation Street, Longmarket Street, Parade Street, Commercial Street, Buitenkant Street and Roeland Street, will see partial or full closures at different times. Most closures will take place between 3pm and midnight, although some will start as early as 4am.
It’s not just the CBD that’s impacted. Temporary traffic stoppages and rolling closures are expected on key routes between Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray, Observatory, Salt River, Woodstock and the city centre. This includes sections of the M3 (Rhodes Drive), Philip Kgosana Drive (De Waal Drive), Union Avenue and the city-bound N2, along with connecting roads such as Woolsack Drive, Anzio Road, Klipper Road, Princess Anne Avenue, and Dean Street.
You can view the full road closure schedule here
Tips For Motorists
If you’re driving during this period, a little planning will go a long way:
- Limit non-essential travel in the CBD area over the period in question
- Factor in additional travelling time if they must move in/out or around the CBD and surrounds, as traffic volumes will likely be elevated
- Plan routes accordingly
- Keep intersections free between light changes, as blocking interchanges causes further delays
- Be patient and courteous
The post Everything You Need To Know About SONA 2026 Road Closures In Cape Town appeared first on Cape Town Tourism.
