Thousands came out in full force to watch the demonstrations by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for the Armed Forces Day festivities.
The annual six-day event kicked off on Saturday at the Mandela Park Sports Stadium in Khayelitsha, with other events taking place at the V&A Waterfront and Sunrise Beach in Muizenberg.
The event honours the women and men who have lost their lives in the line of duty, and thanks those who continue to serve the country.
More than 8 500 troops from all four services will be in the Western Cape for the event, with the main event taking place on Thursday, February 21.
The date marks the sinking of the SS Mendi in the English Channel in 1917. More than 600 SA Native Labour Corps members and 33 crew members died during the sinking.
Traffic in some areas will be affected during the event due to various road closures for celebrations. The road closures are as follows:
Blaauwberg/Popham:
– Residents in this area to enter or exit at this point
– Businesses to use Arum Road.
Blaauwberg/Marine Circle
– No traffic into Marine Circle.
Marine Drive/Athens
– No traffic onto Marine.
Athens/Claim
– No traffic towards KFC.
Claim/Visagie
– No traffic towards Marine.
Otto du Plessis/Marine
– No traffic onto Marine.
Otto du Plessis/Dolphin Beach
– No traffic onto Marine
– Residents to use Dolphin Beach only.
Marine Circle/Arum
– No traffic towards Blaauwberg Road.
Beach Blvd/Porterfield
– No traffic along Beach Blvd
– Exit on Arum Road.
Marine Circle/Coral Rd
– No traffic towards Beach Blvd
– No traffic into Coral Road.
Coral/Foam
– No traffic onto Foam.
Beach Blvd/Seal
– No traffic onto Beach Blvd towards Foam
– Exit down Beach Blvd at Shell Rd or Watsonia.
Beach Blvd/Shell
– No traffic towards Foam
– All traffic to exit Shell onto Marine Drive and towards Big Bay Blvd or onto Watsonia.
Coral / Watsonia
– No traffic towards Foam.
Otto du Plessis / Perlemoen
– No traffic towards Blaauwberg Circle
– Exit towards Big Bay Circle.
Otto du Plessis / Sir David Baird
– No traffic towards Blaauwberg Circle.
– Exit towards Big Bay Circle.
Otto du Plessis Ocean / Tides
– Exit only toward Big Bay Circle.
Otto du Plessis / Waves Edge
– Exit only towards Big Bay Circle.
Otto du Plessis / Big Bay Blvd
– No traffic towards Blaauwberg Road.
Armed Forces Day 2019, SA National Defence Force Night Shoot at Muizenberg (Sunrise Beach)
Photographs by Staff Sergeant Refiloe Nkoe, SA Army Air Defence Artillery Formation#sandf#sandf_19#armedforces_19#nightshoot_19 pic.twitter.com/NCM5jsyvnu
— SANDF Corporate Events (@SANDFCorpEvents) February 20, 2019
Armed Forces Day 2019, Night Shoot at Muizenberg (Sunrise Beach), 19 February 2019.
Photographs by Lance Corporal Paul Mpangala , Defence Corporate Communication, SA Soldier#sandf#sandf_19#armedforces_19#nightshoot_19 pic.twitter.com/T1LuL1qFAQ
— SANDF Corporate Events (@SANDFCorpEvents) February 20, 2019
Armed Forces Day 2019, Night Shoot at Muizenberg (Sunrise Beach), 19 February 2019.
Photographs by Lance Corporal Paul Mpangala , Defence Corporate Communication, SA Soldier#sandf#sandf_19#armedforces_19#nightshoot_19 pic.twitter.com/70hW4RN5us
— SANDF Corporate Events (@SANDFCorpEvents) February 20, 2019
Armed Forces Day 2019, Night Shoot at Muizenberg (Sunrise Beach), 19 February 2019.
Photographs by Corporal Jonathan Mogano, Defence Corporate Communication, SA Soldier
#sandf
#sandf_19
#armedforces_19
#nightshoot_19 pic.twitter.com/M9m8tcFrv2— SANDF Corporate Events (@SANDFCorpEvents) February 20, 2019
Always great to see Gripens over Cape Town. https://t.co/D5LzR66VSI
— Darren Olivier (@darren_olivier) February 20, 2019
Picture: Twitter
