South Africans have been warned to prepare for major disruptions in the coming weeks as police and protest activity ramps up ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit at Nasrec.
Traffic authorities in Gauteng and the City of Joburg have issued alerts about road closures and police operations taking place this coming weekend, while advocacy group Women For Change is preparing a national shutdown next week.
Authorities confirmed temporary closures and rolling traffic operations as preparations intensify for the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit at Nasrec.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation, Gauteng Traffic Police, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, and the South African Police Service have issued a detailed advisory for motorists.
A coordinated traffic operation is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 15 November 2025, between 09h00 and 13h00.
During this period, there will be rolling road closures, lane restrictions, and intermittent diversions across major routes in the City of Johannesburg.
The closures will not be continuous but will move in stages, meaning traffic may open and close multiple times along the same road as convoys and security escorts pass through.
The national highways expected to be affected include the N1, M1, and N12.
Several important city and regional roads will also be part of the controlled traffic network, including:
- Jan Smuts Avenue,
- Rivonia Road,
- Oxford Road,
- Grayston Drive,
- Kathrine Street,
- Athol Oaklands Road,
- Glenhove Road,
- Winnie Mandela Drive,
- Hendrick Potgieter Road,
- Nasrec Road,
- Rand Show Road,
- The Golden Highway near Nasrec, and areas around Melrose, Sandton, Rosebank, and the inner city.
Drivers are urged to plan ahead and use suggested alternative routes where possible. In Roodepoort, Beyers Naudé Drive, Christiaan De Wet Road, and Ontdekkers Road are recommended instead of Hendrick Potgieter Road.
In Fourways, Main Road, Cedar Road, and Witkoppen Road are suggested substitutes. Those moving between Sandton, Rosebank, and Parktown are advised to use parallel side streets.
These include Corlett Drive, Sandton Drive, or 11th Avenue rather than Jan Smuts, Oxford, or Rivonia.
In the south, particularly around Riverlea, Nasrec, and Ormonde View, Chris Hani Road, Main Reef Road, Crownwood Road, Soweto Highway, the N17, Aerodrome Road, and Adcock Ingram Road offer alternatives.
Authorities said traffic officers will be on duty along the affected corridors to assist with direction, while signage and real-time travel updates will be provided.
Emergency and essential service vehicles will be given priority access at all times. Motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time, remain patient, and follow instructions as the city works to deliver a secure and well-managed international event.
National Shutdown
Following the police activity this weekend, Women For Change plans to launch a national shutdown on Friday, 21 November, ahead of the G20 meeting on 22 to 23 November.
The advocacy group, which fights against to Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Femicide in South Africa, launched a petition that has gained over 850,000 signatures.
The movement is demanding that gender-based violence and femicide be declared a national disaster.
As mpart of its actions, it is calling on all women and members of the LGBTQI+ community across South Africa to refrain from all paid and unpaid work in workplaces, universities, and homes, and to spend no money for the entire day to demonstrate the economic and social impact of their absence.
The shutdown includes
- No work or unpaid labour on 21 November
- No spending or withdrawing of money on the day
- A 15-minute complete standstill at noon
- Wearin of black to stand in “mourning and resistance”.
“Until South Africa stops burying a woman every 2.5 hours, the G20 cannot speak of growth and progress,” the group said.
The City of Joburg is in its final stretch of planning for the international gathering, which is set to bring global heads of state, government delegations, and security forces to Johannesburg.
Law enforcement agencies are working together to tighten security and manage the flow of vehicles around key routes.
The city has been visibly gearing up for the summit for several weeks.
Drivers and residents have noticed a heightened pace of maintenance work, from repairing traffic lights and streetlamps to resurfacing road markings and clearing vegetation along main corridors.
These activities have been carried out across multiple suburbs, particularly along the arterial roads leading into and around the Nasrec precinct.
Officials said these improvements are not just to create a good impression for international visitors.
The intention is also to ensure that the movement of people, public transport, logistics services, and emergency responders is smooth and safe during the summit period.
Security planning has become increasingly visible. More police and traffic officers are stationed near the Expo Centre and surrounding access points, with certain areas already cordoned off for controlled entry.
Vehicles entering the precinct have been subjected to checks, and patrol units have taken up both mobile and static positions.
Authorities say these measures are standard international security procedures and are being scaled up gradually to match the approaching date of the summit.
They have also acknowledged concerns about potential public demonstrations during the event.
Police have confirmed that any groups planning to protest will be directed to a designated Speaker’s Corner where gatherings may take place without disrupting summit proceedings.
Gauteng’s Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Fred Kekana, said that South Africa remains committed to upholding constitutional rights, including the right to protest.
However, the summit venue itself will remain secured and inaccessible to the general public.
