By Priya Ranchod
Motorists heading to FNB Stadium for Saturday’s sold-out Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs should prepare for road closures, restricted vehicle access and traffic diversions as authorities implement measures to manage congestion around the venue.
The Betway Premiership clash takes place on 31 October, with gates opening at 10am and kick-off scheduled for 3.30pm. Spectators are encouraged to arrive before midday and use public transport wherever possible.
Under the joint event advisory, the stadium precinct will operate as a vehicle exclusion zone. Private motorists will need valid parking tickets or authorised permits to pass designated checkpoints. A match ticket alone will not grant vehicle access, and no match tickets will be sold at the stadium.
General parking at Johannesburg Expo Centre, Expo 1 to 8, costs R80 per vehicle, while premium parking at Gate 1 costs R250. Tickets can be purchased through the MyTicket app or www.myticket.co.za. Limited general parking tickets may also be sold at designated road closures, subject to availability, with card payments only.
IPROP parking is available for R80 at the Booysens Reserve Road and Crownwood Road checkpoint. Motorists will be directed into the property, where security personnel will be on duty. A free return shuttle will transport patrons between the parking area and the stadium. The parking ticket does not permit access beyond the further road closure.
Free Shareworld parking will accommodate buses, minibus taxis and supporter minibuses carrying spectators with valid match tickets.
Public transport alternatives include Rea Vaya, Gautrain connections and the Johannesburg Stadium park-and-ride facility. Parking at Johannesburg Stadium is free, with Rea Vaya return transport costing R60 per person for spectators without transport-inclusive packages.
A dedicated Gautrain match-day bus service will connect Johannesburg Park Station with FNB Stadium. Return bus transport costs R25 per person for eligible match ticket holders buying transport on the day, excluding train fares and station parking. The service runs from 9am to 7.30pm, with the last scheduled shuttle leaving the stadium at 7pm.
Rea Vaya will also operate services connecting the stadium with Ellis Park, Library Gardens, Thokoza Park and Dobsonville, with onward connections for passengers travelling from Sandton. E-hailing vehicles must use the designated Transportation Hub.
Residents, particularly in Riverlea and Ormonde, must obtain event-specific passes to travel through controlled areas. These passes do not provide stadium entry or event parking.
Road closures from 10am will affect the N1 South off-ramp and N17, Nasrec Road intersections, Crownwood Road, Booysens Reserve Road and sections of Soweto Highway. The section between Mentz Street and the N1 North on-ramp will be reserved for Gautrain and Rea Vaya buses.
After the match, four lanes on Nasrec Road will carry outbound traffic. Restrictions will also affect Adcock Ingram Avenue, Aerodrome Road and the N1 South and N17 off-ramps.
Authorities advise motorists not attending the derby to avoid the precinct and consider the N1, M1 and N12 highways or Main Reef Road. Drivers must obey traffic officers rather than navigation applications and keep emergency routes clear.