Cape Town will be buzzing this weekend, with several events expected to draw thousands to the CBD.
On Sunday, 18 October, the inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon will bring together around 30 000 runners, who will take on four routes that highlight Cape Town’s beauty and parts of the city’s rich heritage.
The programme includes a 42 km marathon, a half marathon, a 10 km race and a 5 km run.
Starting in Strand Street, the routes will take runners on a journey past District Six, Parliament, the Company’s Garden, Bo-Kaap and Green Point, while the marathon will also head towards Woodbridge Island in Milnerton.
Residents and motorists are advised of road closures and traffic disruptions at various points of the route between 04:30 and 13:30.
Impacted roads include Darling Street, Adderley Street, Long Street, Heerengracht Street, FW de Klerk Boulevard, a section of Nelson Mandela Boulevard, Somerset Road and Main Road in Green Point and Marine Drive through Paarden Eiland to Milnerton.
The City will provide a free MyCiTi shuttle service for runners operating from the V&A Waterfront’s Silo district to the Civic Centre and from Canal Walk to the Civic Centre.
The first bus pre-race will operate from 03:30. The shuttle will return runners to their original stop from 08:00, with the last shuttle bus leaving the Civic Centre at 13:30.
Nelson Mandela Marathon: Road closures
| Area | Road | Section | Closed from | Reopens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bo-Kaap | Chiappini Street | Wale Street to Somerset Road | 04:30 | 11:30 |
| Bo-Kaap | Yusuf Drive | Wale Street to Carisbrook Street | 06:00 | 11:30 |
| City Bowl | Buiten Street | Long Street to Loop Street | 04:30 | 11:00 |
| City Bowl | Dorp Street | Buitengracht Street to Pentz Street | 04:30 | 11:30 |
| City Bowl | Voetboog Road | Pentz Street to Yusuf Drive | 04:30 | 11:30 |
| City Centre | Francis Street | Basket Lane to Russell Street | 04:30 | 10:30 |
| City Centre | Pentz Street | Voetboog Road to Yusuf Drive | 06:00 | 11:30 |
| District Six | Chapel Street | Basket Lane to Rutger Street | 04:30 | 10:30 |
| District Six | Constitution Street | Mount Street to Tennant Street | 04:30 | 10:30 |
| District Six | McKenzie Street | Roeland Street to Constitution Street | 04:30 | 10:30 |
| District Six | Russell Street | Newmarket Street to Hanover Street | 04:30 | 10:30 |
| District Six | Sir Lowry Road | Russell Street to Tennant Street | 04:30 | 10:30 |
| District Six | St Johns Street | Roeland Street to Dunkley Street | 04:30 | 10:30 |
| District Six | Vogelgezang Street | Hanover Street to Blinde Street | 04:30 | 10:30 |
| Finish precinct (Grand Parade) | Darling Street | Adderley Street to Corporation Street | 06:00 | 14:00 |
| Foreshore | Adderley Street | Riebeek Street to Hans Strijdom Avenue | 05:30 | 13:30 |
| Foreshore | FW de Klerk Boulevard | Heerengracht Street to N1 | 05:30 | 13:30 |
| Foreshore | Heerengracht Street | Hertzog Boulevard to FW de Klerk Boulevard | 05:30 | 13:30 |
| Foreshore | Lower Church Street | N1 on-ramp | 05:30 | 13:30 |
| Green Point | Somerset Road | Buitengracht Street to Main Road | 04:30 | 13:30 |
| Green Point | Fritz Sonnenberg Road | Stephan Way to Granger Bay Boulevard and Bay Road | 05:00 | 13:00 |
| Green Point | Fritz Sonnenberg Road | Fritz Sonnenberg Road to Vlei Road | 05:30 | 13:00 |
| Green Point | Vlei Road | Fritz Sonnenberg Road to Helen Suzman Boulevard | 05:30 | 13:00 |
| Paarden Eiland | Boundary Road | Koeberg Road to Marine Drive | 05:30 | 12:30 |
| Paarden Eiland | Marine Drive | N1 Exit 4 to Loxton Road | 05:30 | 12:30 |
| Sea Point | Seacliff Road | Queens Road to Victoria Road | 05:00 | 09:30 |
| Sea Point / Mouille Point | Beach Road (Sea Point) | Three Anchor Bay Road to St Johns Road | 05:00 | 12:00 |
| Sea Point / Mouille Point | Beach Road / Queens Road turnaround | St Johns Road to Queens Road | 05:00 | 09:30 |
| Start precinct | Strand Street | Adderley Street to Castle Street | 00:00 | 10:30 |
| Start precinct | Nelson Mandela Boulevard off-ramp to Newmarket Street | Ramp closure | 03:00 | 10:30 |
| Start precinct | Newmarket Street | Castle Street to Nelson Street | 03:00 | 10:30 |
| Start precinct | Nelson Mandela Boulevard | Elevated freeway split (N1/N2 split) | 05:30 | 13:30 |
| District Six | Hanover Street | Tennant Street to Constitution Street | 04:30 | 10:30 |
| Green Point | Main Road (Green Point) | Vlei Road to Helen Suzman circle | 05:30 | 13:30 |
| Sea Point | Three Anchor Bay Road | Main Road to Beach Road | 05:00 | 12:00 |
| City Bowl | Long Street | Wale Street to Buiten Street | 04:30 | 11:00 |
| City Bowl | Loop Street | Wale Street to Buiten Street | 04:30 | 11:00 |
| Freeway | N1 / Duncan Road | Christiaan Barnard Street to Exit 4 | 05:30 | 13:30 |
Other events in and around the Mother City include grassroots football, Premier Soccer League football, European championship rugby, and a traditional Malay choir competition.
DHL Stormers vs Bristol Bears
On Saturday, the Stormers host English side Bristol Bears in the opening round of their Investec Champions Cup at DHL Stadium.
Kick-off is set for 16:15, with gates opening at 14:15.
The City has made civic parking available from 13:15, with the free MyCiTi shuttle services from the Civic Centre and Thibault Square operating from 13:45.
The last bus from the stadium will leave the station at 20:15
Road closures and traffic restrictions will be in place around the stadium precinct from 06:00 until after the match.
The affected roads include Fritz Sonnenberg Road, Stephan Way, Vlei Road and Granger Bay Boulevard.
Cape Malay Choir Board’s Annual Choral Competition
One of Cape Town’s oldest active multi-national cultural organisations, the Cape Malay Choir Board, hosts its Annual Choral Competition from today, Friday 16 October, at 18:00.
Over three nights, choirs will compete for points and a place among the season’s leading contenders, while showcasing the City’s rich choral heritage.
The sectional rounds continue at the Artscape Theatre Centre from 16:30 until 23:00 on Saturday and Sunday.
SAFA Cape Town Coke Cup
The SAFA Cape Town Coca-Cola Amateur Cup reaches its finals stage at Athlone Stadium on Saturday 17 October.
In the Under-18 final, Youngsfield-based Antalyaspor JPM Cape Town takes on Rising Stars FC from Kommetjie at 13:00.
Santos Ladies, based in Thornton, will compete against Gugulethu’s Cape Town Roses for the women’s division title at 15:30.
Maitland’s Saxon Rovers and Hanover Park FC will contest the senior men’s final at 18:00.
