Your comprehensive guide to Ramaphosa’s inauguration

Following his unopposed election as president in the National Assembly last week, Cyril Ramaphosa will be sworn in as president of South Africa.

Whether you’ll be watching the festivities of his inauguration from the comfort of your own home or making your way to Loftus Versfeld Stadium, here is everything you need to know.

The official hashtag: #SAInauguration19 

If you’re all about watching things via social media in addition to traditional media, #SAInauguration19 is the hashtag you need to follow.

A special app has been developed for the inauguration. You can click here to download the inauguration app.

Accounts to follow: @GovernmentZA and @SAGovNews on Twitter and Facebook page: GovernmentZA.

Event details

Date: May 25 2019

Time: 6am (attendees need to be seated by 7am at the latest)

Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Tshwane

Government has made provision for 32,000 people at the stadium.

Are you attending the #SAInauguration19? Please note the following important information. For more information on this iconic event, visit: https://t.co/NEfqAiQM7q pic.twitter.com/m1jbqLYXER

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) May 24, 2019

The weather 

With people expected to arrive at the stadium from the early hours of the morning, members of the public should dress warmly as temperatures will be low before the sun rises at about 6.40am.

According to the Government News Agency, fine weather conditions are expected in the city of Tshwane.

According to a forecaster at the South African Weather Services, Kumsa Masizana, fine conditions are expected in the morning and partly cloudy conditions are expected from the afternoon.

“We are expecting cool weather reaching a maximum temperature of 23 degrees Celsius in Tshwane and with Johannesburg reaching a maximum of 21 degrees Celsius,” said Masizana.

Accreditation

The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said in a statement: “Accreditation for all members of the public will take place at Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool, known as Affies. Accreditation will open from 3am until 7am on Saturday, 25 May. No persons will be allowed into the stadium without accreditation.”

Accredited members of the public will be provided with wrist bands for ease of identification.

How to get to the stadium

Park and ride

Government has urged those who will be using their own cars to park at the Tshwane Events Centre, also known as the Pretoria Showgrounds, and take the shuttle buses to the stadium. Park-and-ride shuttle buses will start operating from 3am to 6.30am.

No private cars will be allowed around the stadium.

“People are encouraged to arrive early to avoid disappointments. The shuttle buses will drop off people at Affies and shuttle them back to their vehicles after the event,” said GCIS.

Access for walk-ins

Those who prefer to walk to the stadium have been requested to start by collecting their accreditation at the service point at Affies between 3am and 7am.

The preparations for the event also cater for people with disabilities. According to the GCIS, there will be sign language interpreters on stage.

Inauguration road closures

The city of Tshwane has announced that some streets and roads will be closed from Friday afternoon at 3pm. These roads will reopen on Sunday at 6am.

The Tshwane metro police department and other law enforcement agencies will be deployed at all street closures and other affected streets for traffic control and road closure monitoring.

Streets will be closed as follows:

Soutpansberg/Rietondale

• Soutpansberg Road and Gordon Street

• Soutpansberg Road and Wren Street

• Woodlands Drive and Gordon Street

• Soutpansberg Road and Tom Jenkins Drive

• Soutpansberg Road and Van der Merwe Street

• Soutpansberg Road and Nuffield Street

• Soutpansberg Road and Parker Street

• Rose Street and Parker Street

• North Street and Nuffield Street

• Van der Merwe Street and North Street

• Lys Street and 18th Avenue

• Kieser Street and Lys Street

• Russel Street and Tom Jenkins Drive

• Eastwood Street and Government Avenue

Loftus/Hatfield

• Eastwood Street and Francis Baard Street

• Orient Street and Francis Baard Street

• Arcadia Street and Hill Street

• Park Street and Hill Street

• University Road and Burnett Street

• Lynnwood Road and Roper Street

• Lynnwood Road and Jan Shoba Street

• Lynnwood Road and University Road

• University Road and Walton Jameson Avenue

• University Road and Justice Mahomed Street

• Jorissen Street and Walton Jameson Avenue

• Bond Street and Walton Jameson Avenue

• Villa Street and Walton Jameson Avenue

• Brecher Street and Walton Jameson Avenue

• Ivy Street and Maple Street

• Myrtle Street and Maple Street

• Park Street and Beckett Street

• Arcadia Street and Beckett Street

• Farenden Street and Francis Baard Street

• Kirkness Street and Park Street

• Kirkness Street and Bond Street

• Kirkness Street and Lynnwood Road

• Bond Street and Farenden Street

• Farenden Street and Park Street

• Ayton Street and Farenden Street

• Soutpansberg Road at the entrance of Rietondale Park for the park and ride.

[Watch] Let us celebrate our democracy together and take our country forward. #SAInauguration19 pic.twitter.com/y3hdQCWGfX

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) May 24, 2019

Public viewing sites

Those who aren’t up for queuing from 3am onwards can make their way to one of the different public viewing sites across the nine provinces where the ceremony will be live-streamed.

To find out which public viewing site is closest to you, click here.

Public safety

Over 2,000 police officers will be deployed in and around the Loftus Versfeld Stadium vicinity for the Presidential Inauguration on Saturday.

Law enforcement officers deployed to the event include members of the South African Police Service (Saps), Tshwane Metro Police and members from other government departments to ensure effective and efficient route and stadium security.

Prohibited goods

Members of the public attending the occasion are advised that the following items are forbidden at the event:

– Alcohol or drugs
– Firearms or weapons
– Bottles or cans

A full list of prohibited items has been published on the GCIS website.

“Those who do not adhere to the restrictions set will have to surrender their items before entering the stadium. No persons under the influence of any substance will be allowed into the stadium for their own safety as well as the safety of others,” said the ministry of police in a statement.

Restricted airspace

The airspace from the Pretoria City Centre will be restricted for a radius of 25 nautical miles from 8am to 4pm on the day of the Inauguration.

No remotely piloted air systems (RPAS)/drones will be permitted to operate within the airspace for the duration of the event.

This restriction will not affect commercial air traffic.

Order of proceedings

After the rendition of the national anthem, the president will continue with his address to the nation. The president’s address will be followed by a flypast by the South African Air Force and SAA as well as a 21-gun salute. This salute will be conducted from Pretoria High School for Girls.

Pet owners of Sunnyside and the surrounding areas are advised to consider the following precautions during the 21-gun salute:

– The ideal place for an anxious dog is to be indoors in a familiar place with the owner.
– Make sure that pets have access to their most favourite spot.
– Create ambient noises and provide them with a treat.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.