Johannesburg: As South Africa prepares to host the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit this weekend, law enforcement agencies are urging residents and commuters in Gauteng to plan their travel ahead of time due to anticipated significant traffic disruptions and road closures.
According to South African Government News Agency, a joint statement by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), Gauteng Traffic Police (GTP), Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD), Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), and South Africa Police Service (SAPS) announced that road closures are scheduled from 18 to 23 November 2025. These measures are deemed necessary as South Africa hosts the G20 Summit, a major international event that will see global leaders convening in the region. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow additional travel time, and consider alternative routes where possible.
The road closures aim to enhance public safety, enforce traffic compliance, and support ongoing traffic law enforcement initiatives, including vehicle inspections and congestion management. Clear signage, traffic officers, and real-time updates will be provided to guide road users, with access for emergency and essential services being prioritized.
The road closures will impact several areas, including the City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane, and City of Ekurhuleni. Operations will target high-security routes, encompassing major national highways and central urban arteries. Some of the affected routes include major national and regional routes such as N1, N3, N12, N14, R21, R24, and M1. Additionally, major arterial and urban roads in Sandton, Melrose Arch, Rosebank, Westcliff, Parkview, Fourways, Roodepoort, and Nasrec will also experience closures.
Full road closures on Grayston Drive are scheduled for Saturday, 22 November 2025, between 04h00 and 10h00. Golden Highway will be fully closed between Rand Show Road and Soweto Highway starting from 17 November 2025. On 22 and 23 November, Nasrec Road will be closed between Rand Show and Shaft 17 Road, with limited access on Nasrec Road from the N17 traffic circle to Shaft 17 Road.
The G20 Social Summit will be held from 18 to 20 November 2025 at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng Province. As convoys move, roads will be closed completely, affecting movement for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Roads will reopen as soon as convoys pass, with delays ranging from approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour in some areas.
To mitigate traffic disruptions, alternative routes have been suggested. Commuters can use M57 as an alternative to R21 between Ekurhuleni and Tshwane. For east-west travel, smaller regional roads through Germiston, Kempton Park, or Bedfordview can be used instead of R24/N12. In Roodepoort, Beyers Naud© Drive, Christiaan De Wet Road, and Ontdekkers Road are suggested alternatives to Hendrick Potgieter Road. Within Fourways, Main Road, Cedar Road, and Witkoppen Road can be utilized. In Sandton, Rosebank, and Parktown, side streets parallel to Jan Smuts, Oxford, or Rivonia Road, like Corlett Drive, Sandton Drive, and 11th Avenue, are recommended. In southern Johannesburg, Riverlea, Nasrec, and Ormonde View, commuters can use Chris Hani Road, Main Reef Road, Crownwood Road, Soweto Highway, N17, Aerodrome Road, and Adcock Ingram Road.