MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Road Closures and Traffic Management for the June 16 50th Anniversary Commemoration and Presidential Wreath-laying Ceremony

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) wishes to inform motorists, residents, and the general public of extensive road closures and traffic management measures that will be implemented across Soweto. These measures are necessary to facilitate the safe and secure hosting of the June 16 50th Anniversary Commemoration, which includes a Presidential visit and wreath-laying ceremony.

Orlando West Precinct: Early Closures & Wreath-Laying Ceremony

To prepare the area and facilitate the Presidential Wreath-Lying Ceremony, extensive road closures will be implemented in Orlando West. A heavy JMPD deployment will be stationed at key intersections to manage complete shutdowns, soft closures for dignitaries, and pedestrian-only zones.

Effective Period: From 00h00 (midnight) on Monday, 15 June 2026, until 12h00 (noon) on Tuesday, 16 June 2026.

Full Road Closures (No Unauthorised Vehicles)

  • Khumalo Main Road & Maseko Street: Full closure. No westward traffic permitted on Khumalo Main Road. Vehicles will be diverted left into Maseko Street, and traffic from Maseko Street will be diverted into Khumalo Main Road.
  • Moema Street & Moleofi Street / Maseko Street: Full closure. No vehicles allowed north into Moema Street. Traffic will be redirected straight along Moleofi into Maseko Street or turned left/right south into Moema Street toward Vilakazi Street.
  • Pela Main Road / Khumalo Main Road & Moleofi Street (Next to Clinic): Full closure. Traffic from Dube Shoprite heading east toward the Hector Pieterson Memorial will be diverted left or right into Moleofi Street.
  • Moleofi Street & Kumalo Street: Full closure. Strictly reserved for business staff and management to access premises and park. General traffic will be redirected via Kumalo Street (North) and Moleofi Street (Southwest).
  • Zephania Mothopeng Street & Kumalo Street / Khumalo Main Road / Pela Main Road: Full closures across these stretches. These roads are dedicated to high-volume pedestrian zones. Vehicles will not be permitted access unless they are actively travelling to church.

Soft Closures & VIP/Staff Access Only

  • Maseko Street & Khumalo Main Road: Partial soft closure. Only authorised VIPs and VVIPs accessing Uncle Tom’s Hall may utilise this road by facing oncoming traffic.
  • Zephania Mothopeng Street & Maseko Street: Soft closure and traffic diversion. This route is strictly reserved for the Presidency, Premier, Ministers, MECs, and the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg to access Uncle Tom’s Hall.
  • Zephania Mothopeng Street & Litabe Street: Closure and fencing in place. Opened exclusively as an entrance for Staff, Management, the Venue Operational Centre (VOC), and event attendees with parking clearance.

FNB Stadium Precinct Closures (16 June 2026)

For the main anniversary commemoration held at the Open Space at FNB Stadium, closures will take effect early in the morning on June 16.

Effective Period: From 07h00

Affected Intersections:

  • Shaft 17 Road at Soccer City Avenue
  • League Avenue at Booysens Reserve
  • League Avenue at Soweto Highway West
  • Stadium Avenue at Nasrec Road
  • Stadium Avenue at Golden Highway
  • Landbou Road at Nasrec Road
  • Landbou Road at Exhibition Road

Additional Commemorative Events & Activities

Motorists should note that additional localised traffic disruptions, rolling closures, and heavy pedestrian presence are expected across the greater Orlando and Soweto areas due to the following secondary commemorative activities:

  • Candlelight Walk: A solemn candlelight walk will take place within the precinct. To ensure a universal sense of safety and security
  • Commemorative Marches & Walks:
  • Formal marches will proceed from Morris Isaacson High School in Jabavu.
  • A separate localised walk and march will take place within the Orlando West precinct.
  • Cycling Race: A cycling race will be underway, starting and finishing in Orlando East.

Advice to Motorists and Residents

  • Expect Delays: Heavy traffic and delays are anticipated on all major routes leading into Orlando West, Orlando East, Jabavu, and the Nasrec/FNB Stadium precincts.
  • Plan Ahead: Residents living within these restricted zones are urged to plan their commutes accordingly and utilise alternative routes where possible.
  • Follow Instructions: Motorists are requested to be patient and strictly adhere to the directions given by JMPD officers on point duty.
Category: Tag:

Museum Africa: The Memory of the Market

Long before it was a sanctuary for artifacts, this building was the Johannesburg Municipal Fruit and Vegetable Market, completed in 1913. At the time, it was an architectural marvel of the industrial age, featuring a massive, vaulted roof supported by reinforced concrete and steel—a design intended to keep the produce cool in the biting Highveld sun. The site was chosen for its proximity to the railway lines, allowing fresh goods from across Southern Africa to be funneled directly into the heart of the city. For decades, it was a place of frantic, multi-racial commerce where the air was thick with the smell of citrus and the shouts of auctioneers. In 1994—the same year South Africa held its first democratic elections—the market was transformed into Museum Africa, symbolically turning a site of physical sustenance into one of intellectual and historical nourishment.