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Johannesburg - Soccer and music fans who are planning to go to Thursday's Soccer World Cup opening concert at Orlando Stadium and Friday's opening ceremony and first match at Soccer City should plan their route well and give themselves enough time.

This was the message from the Johannesburg metro police and city council at a media conference on Tuesday.

Sibongile Mazibuko, executive director of Johannesburg's SWC 2010 office asked people to use the park-and-ride facilities.

"Orlando has no public parking facilities. Please leave your nice cars at home and use the buses and trains.

Patience

"We want to encourage people to take more time to work out their routes and make travel arrangements. Roads around the stadium will be closed so people will have to be patient," she said.

Director Gerrie Gerneke of the Johannesburg metro police and operational head at Soccer City during the World Cup, said there was no parking available in the vicinity of the Orlando Stadium during the concert.

He also said roads would be closed from 10:00 on Friday for up to 2km around Soccer City for the opening match and only people with prepaid parking permits would be allowed to park at Shareworld.

Shareworld, situated close to Soccer City, has room for about 5 000 cars and is one of three park-and-walk facilities.

The other two are Randpark Drive and Aeroton.

No private cars will be allowed near the stadium.

Nasrec will be the only parking-and-ride facility for Thursday's concert and all the small roads around Orlando Stadium will be closed, said Rob Sleep, head of security of the security company, SSG, which is providing security for the concert.

Sleep asked that people come as early as possible to the stadium to ensure they make it in time. He said 150 buses had been made available for the park-and-ride.

"The park-and-ride facility will open at 13:00 and buses will begin running an hour later. The gates (of the stadium) will open at 15:00.

"Buses will run every 20 minutes and after the concert there will be enough lighting and security guards to keep people safe," said Sleep.

The city also has two pick-up spots in Sandton and the Westgate shopping centre. At the latter, there are services like Metrorail, BRT, long distance buses as well as buses from OR Tambo International Airport, which go to Soccer City and Ellis Park.

Soccer City: Roads closed
•    Nasrec Road (from the north) – Main Reef Road will be closed and the only people who have access are those with permits who live in Riverlea and those who paid to park at Shareworld
•    Nasrec Road (from the south) – Rand Show Road will also be closed and only people with prepaid parking permits will be allowed through
•    The Soweto highway will also be closed at the N1 intersection in the west
•    In the east – Main Reef Road in Booysens

Orlando Stadium: Use this route
•    From the M1 South: Use the Nasrec/Eldorado Park turnoff and look for parking along Nasrec Road
•    From Booysens area: Booysens Reserve Road can be used and motorists are advised to follow the signs to Shareworld-park-and-ride
•    From the N1 South: Take the Rand Show Road and park at the Rand Show-park-and-walk
•    From Soweto: Take Ben Naudé Drive which becomes Rand Show Road and look for parking at the Nasrec show centre.
•    From the east: Take Rifle Range Road and turn right into Nasrec Road.