Road closures in place as KZN Legislature hosts official opening and Sopa

The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature will be hosting its annual Official Address and State of the Province Address at the Woodburn Rugby Stadium over Thursday and Friday. On Thursday will be the Official Address by His Majesty The King and Friday, and on Friday, Premier Thami Ntuli will conduct his State of the Province Address. As a result of these events, there will be temporary hard and soft road closures in the surrounding areas, as communicated by the Msunduzi Traffic Department.

Residents are urged to note that although certain roads will be affected, partners, customers, and service providers requiring access to your premises will be permitted through the closure points upon clearly indicating their destination to traffic officials. The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (PROVJOINTS) said that it has put sufficient safety and security measures in place to safeguard the official opening of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and the State of the Province Address (SOPA) at the Woodburn Rugby Stadium in Pietermaritzburg Thursday and Friday. PROVJOINTS spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said the vicinity of the Woodburn Rugby Stadium and the entire operational area will be a no-fly zone, and only South African Police Service operational and counter-intelligence drones will have access to fly.

“Any unrecognized drone will be dealt with in accordance with the law.” He added that invited guests and delegation who are guarded by private security guards and bodyguards are reminded that no private firearms will be allowed in the red zone. Relevant police specialized units dedicated to ensure the safety and security of Very Important Persons (VIPs) will take charge of the red zone.