Kaizer Chiefs are set to host Mamelodi Sundowns in the Carling Knockout quarter-final game to be staged at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.
It will be the second time this season the two sides are meeting in the domestic assignments. The initial one was in the Premier Soccer League where Masandawana claimed a controversial 2-1 victory.
The fixture this weekend is a sold-out affair meaning traffic will be massive before the fixture.
Chiefs vs Downs: Police put in tough measures
“We have partnered with the PSL and Stadium Management SA to make sure the event is executed without any hiccups,” The Director of the Office of the Chief of Police in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department Angie Mokasi told the media.
“We want to emphasize that road closures will be in place on Saturday from 1 PM for the purposes of the game. Nasrec Road will be a three-way going into the stadium and after the game, it will be the same going out of the stadium.
“The Golden Highway is going to be converted into a one-way to accommodate people who will be going to Nasrec to collect race packs for the Soweto Marathon. The Soweto highway will be closed between the N1 bridge towards Booysens Reserve and we are encouraging people to arrive early. The JMPD will deploy 150 officers at strategic points.
“We have also extended our deployment as far as Rifle Range and Columbine next to South Gate, and we will have drone support so we get real-time data.”
Chiefs vs Downs: It is going to be a problem if you leave an hour before the game
Stadium Management SA CEO Bertie Grobbelaar emphasized the importance of reaching the venue early.
“With regards to venue preparations, we have had extensive meetings since the venue was announced and the City of Johannesburg is on board. There is a directive from the mayor’s office to sort out the issue of traffic,” he stated.
“The commitment made from the committee involved in preparing for the match is that we need to take accountability for the execution of the plan presented and signed off by the city joint operations committee.
“I am sending a plea to spectators that we need assistance from them to come early. If you leave home an hour before kickoff, it is going to be a problem,” he continued.
“An additional measure is turning the area opposite the Soweto highway into parking that can accommodate 5,000 vehicles and we have increased the number of entrances to the precinct.”
