New Cape Town school raises major traffic concerns

Traffic concerns are mounting in Bergvliet over the proposed Tokai High School, with residents questioning whether the development’s traffic assessment adequately reflects conditions on the narrow roads surrounding the site.

The Bergvliet Voluntary Association (BVA) raised the issue at a community meeting last week, where residents discussed the City of Cape Town’s Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) and an independent technical review funded by the community.

According to the BVA, the independent review raised questions about the traffic models used for the project, additional traffic counts conducted in June 2026 and whether the proposed access points on Ruskin Road and Leyden Road will be able to accommodate traffic generated by the school.

Residents call for further engagement

The BVA is also calling for the Tokai High School Interim Steering Committee to meet again.

The committee was intended to provide a structured platform for engagement between the community, the City and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), with meetings previously expected to take place monthly.

Traffic is not the only concern surrounding the proposed development.

A BVA survey involving 325 online and in-person respondents between 13 and 17 March 2026 found that traffic congestion was the biggest concern, with 75% of respondents selecting it.

This was followed by concerns about the scale of the development at 67% and consultation at 66%.

The association noted that some survey responses may have been duplicated.

The survey also asked residents about alternatives to the proposed development. Some 40% favoured expanding Grade R provision, while 23% supported a reduced high school and 15% supported the proposed high school at its current scale.

Frustration over the development has also spilled onto social media.

Resident Liezel Matthee said the community had funded an independent assessment because of concerns about the surrounding road network.

“We want to engage and truly collaborate (not be told) on this site, the traffic concerns and the infrastructure,” Matthee said.

The debate follows concerns previously raised during the 2025 public participation process, including issues surrounding the project’s Heritage Impact Assessment.

The City and WCED have also been drawn into the discussion.

Ward 73 councillor Eddie Andrews has said the completed impact assessments were considered sufficient and compliant with the applicable requirements.

The latest concerns mean the proposed Tokai High School remains a contentious development in the Bergvliet community, with traffic, infrastructure, the scale of the project and consultation continuing to feature prominently in the debate.