City of Cape Town to proceed with concrete wall along N2

The City of Cape Town will proceed with its R114 million N2 Edge Safety Project, which includes a concrete barrier along a nine-kilometre stretch of the highway.

Cape Town Mayor and DA mayoral candidate Geordin Hill-Lewis confirmed the project would go ahead, saying the City remained focused on improving safety for motorists, pedestrians and surrounding communities.

“We know what is right for the safety of Capetonians and we will carry on doing whatever is necessary to make Cape Town safer for everyone,” Hill-Lewis said.

The project has attracted criticism from some residents, community organisations and political parties, with concerns raised about the cost and whether a wall is the appropriate response to crime and poverty along the N2.

City says N2 access must be controlled

Hill-Lewis said the project was necessary because the existing barrier along the N2 had deteriorated after being in place for decades.

The City’s budget documents describe the existing concrete palisade fence as having fallen into disrepair. The planned rehabilitation runs from the Baden Powell Road intersection near Khayelitsha through to Bhunga Avenue in Langa. The budget allocation is listed at approximately R114.7 million.

The mayor argued that unrestricted pedestrian access to a national highway presented a safety risk.

“There is nowhere in the world where you can have unrestricted access to a national road. We have to address that,” he said.

Hill-Lewis referred to the recent death of a 16-year-old Khayelitsha boy who was struck by a vehicle on the N2 while allegedly involved in criminal activity.

He also claimed that around 70% of pedestrian deaths in the City occur on the N2, describing the highway as particularly dangerous for pedestrians.

Project has faced criticism

The N2 wall has been the subject of a growing public debate since the City announced the project earlier this year.

Critics have questioned whether the money could instead be directed towards housing, social development, community safety and other interventions.

The ANC has also accused the City of using the wall to conceal poverty from motorists and tourists travelling between Cape Town International Airport and the city. Those are political claims and are disputed by the City.

Hill-Lewis rejected the criticism and pointed to similar concrete barriers being constructed by the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL).

He said the City was effectively replacing an old and damaged barrier with infrastructure intended to restrict access to the highway and improve safety.

Wider N2 safety measures

The N2 Edge project is broader than the wall itself.

Earlier City information said the programme includes safety barrier repairs and reinforcement, pedestrian crossings, improved lighting and access control, as well as measures intended to improve safety in areas adjacent to the highway. The City has also increased its law-enforcement presence along the route.

The City has maintained that the project is intended to address risks faced by motorists, pedestrians and communities along the N2.

With Hill-Lewis now confirming that the project will proceed, the debate over the cost, design and purpose of the N2 barrier is likely to continue as implementation moves forward.

Are you in favour – or against – the building of this concrete wall?