'Motorists warned to stay away from the CBD'

Johannesburg's licensing offices and testing stations will be closed for three days starting on Monday because of protest action by metro police officers.

The stations affected include Midrand, Marlboro, Randburg, Langlaagte, Lovedale and Roodepoort, Inspector Edna Mamonyane said on Friday.

"All licensing stations in the Johannesburg area will be closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday due to the South African Municipal Workers' Union strike.

"All the people that were booked for learner's and driver's tests will be accommodated at the stations they were booked at from Thursday... they can go there and they will automatically be given new dates," she said.

Samwu and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) have both rejected an 11.5 percent wage increase offer.

"There is not any possible indication that the strike on Monday can be averted," Samwu general secretary Mthandeki Nhlapho told Sapa earlier on Friday.

The strike, said Mamonyane, will also affect traffic around the Johannesburg CBD between Monday and Wednesday.

"Motorists are warned to stay away from the Johannesburg CBD from 10am until 2pm between Monday and Wednesday," she said.

On Monday, traffic will be affected on Bree street from the Mary Fitzgerald square, in Newtown, and Rissik street up to the Johannesburg Metropolitan centre in Braamfontein where protesters are expected to hand over a memorandum to their bosses.

"Protesters will gather at the Mary Fitzgerald square from 8am and they will start moving towards Braamfontein from 9am," Mamonyane said.

After handing over their memorandum, protesters are expected to use De Korte, Harrisson and Jeppe streets to the Mary Fitzgerald square.

On Tuesday, protesters will move from the Mary Fitzgerald square using Bree street to Ntemi Piliso and will march over the Nelson Mandela Bridge.

They will then join Jorissen to access Biccard street where the South African Local Government Association offices are located, said Mamonyane.

After handing over their memorandum to Salga officials, protesters will then use Biccard to get into Simmonds street, then Jeppe to get back to the Mary Fitzgerald square.

Protesters will gather again at the Mary Fitzgerald square on Wednesday, before marching to the local government MEC's office to hand over a memorandum.

To get to Mpetjane Kgaogelo Lekgoro's offices, they will march from Bree street into Simmonds to get to the offices in Anderson street.

To get back to the Mary Fitzgerald square, the protesters will get into Sauer street from Anderson, then Jeppe street, said Mamonyane. - Sapa