City faces backlash over R114m N2 security wall project

Opposition parties in the Cape Town Council have raised sharp concerns over the City’s proposal to construct a security wall along a nine-kilometre stretch of the N2 highway.

Last week, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced that R114 million would be allocated to the "N2 Edge Safety Project." The administration maintains that the infrastructure is essential to protect commuters from criminal activity along the busy corridor.

However, Ndithini Tyhido, the African National Congress (ANC) caucus leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Council, has labelled the plan "senseless." Tyhido argues that the wall serves a dual purpose: sanitising the tourist experience at the expense of local residents.

"Hence, pushing the poorer communities away, or hiding their poverty away from the tourists who will be visiting Cape Town from the Cape Town International Airport," Tyhido stated.

The ANC further suggested that the funds would be better utilised by supporting local grassroots security initiatives.

"Whilst the ANC acknowledges the real threat of violent crime happening along the N2, instead of erecting a wall, invest that money in the capacitation of community neighbourhood watches and community policing forums," Tyhido added.

Mayor Hill-Lewis defended the project, arguing that a small criminal element should not be allowed to compromise the safety of thousands of daily commuters. He clarified that the scope of the "N2 Edge" project is holistic rather than just a physical barrier.

"This project will not only repair safety barriers and install new ones, it will also bring new pedestrian crossings, improved lighting, and safety barriers for recreational spaces," said Hill-Lewis.

The Mayor emphasised that the wall is designed to work in tandem with active law enforcement. "The N2 Edge project will improve safety alongside the City’s beefed-up Highway Patrol Unit, with 45 new Metro cops deployed to the N2 late last year."

The GOOD Party has joined the dissent, insisting that the multi-million rand budget could be more effectively spent addressing the root causes of crime. The party suggested the City redirect the R114 million toward social development in the crime-ridden areas bordering the highway, rather than focusing on physical separation.