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'Buy your kickoff gig parking tickets early'

20100708VNH. ALL SYSTEMS GO: JMPD Director of operations Gerrrie Gerneke and JMPD Spokesperson Edna Mamonyane during a press briefing at the offices in Faraday.Pic:VELI NHLAPO. 08/08/2010. © SOWETAN
20100708VNH. ALL SYSTEMS GO: JMPD Director of operations Gerrrie Gerneke and JMPD Spokesperson Edna Mamonyane during a press briefing at the offices in Faraday.Pic:VELI NHLAPO. 08/08/2010. © SOWETAN

FANS going to the Fifa World Cup 2010 kickoff concert at Orlando Stadium and to the opening ceremony at Soccer City have been urged to buy their parking tickets early to avoid disappointment.

The City of Johannesburg and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) yesterday outlined plans to control traffic during the tournament.

"People should buy their parking tickets early to avoid congestion at the park-and-ride facilities," said Sibongile Mazibuko, 2010 director of the City of Joburg.

Gerrie Gerneke, director at JMPD operations, said park-and- ride buses would be available for the fans.

"People going to the Fifa concert in Orlando Stadium will park their vehicles at Nasrec and get into the buses to the nearest drop-off point," Gerneke said.

"We urge people not to party all night long because the roads around Soccer City will be closed from midnight," he said.

He said this was a special arrangement to allow people going to Soccer City easier access.

"If we find your vehicle still parked the next day we will impound it and you are expected to pay R1000 fee to get it back," warned Gerneke.

Park-and-ride buses will be available at Constitution Hill, Bez Valley (Marcia Street), Gold Reef City and Wits Campus (Corner Enoch Sontonga Avenue and Empire Road).

A bus will cost R70, 18-seater taxi is R35 and a small car R30.

Park-and-walk facilities will be available at Nasrec and Athlone Boys High School in Bez Valley.

They will also be available in Aeroton (corner Randshow road and Aerodrome Road) and on Adcock Ingram Avenue.

All park-and-walk facilities are about 2km from the stadium.

"The Soweto Highway will be closed at 10am till 8pm on Friday. Motorists can use Booysen Road to M1 South and then M1 North back to Soweto Highway," said Gerneke.

"No one will be allowed to come and drop people and leave. No vehicle will be allowed within 2km from the stadium unless it has an access permit as VIP, VVIP or resident of the area," he added.

He said residents who live next to the stadiums have been issued vehicle access park permits to enable them to get to their homes.

Gerneke said disabled people will have special access to the stadiums and that this has been arranged.

On any other match days, roads next to the stadiums will be closed about six hours before kickoff.

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