Cape Town’s R114m N2 wall sparks backlash: Critics say it hides poverty, not crime

Cape Town

Cape Town – Plans by the City of Cape Town to spend more than R114 million on a safety wall and related infrastructure along a stretch of the N2 highway have sparked political backlash, with opposition parties accusing the metro of prioritising appearances over tackling the root causes of crime and poverty.

According to Eyewitness News, the project, known as the N2 Edge Safety Project, will cover approximately nine kilometres of the highway linking Cape Town International Airport to the city centre.

The City has argued that the initiative is aimed at reducing smash-and-grab incidents and improving overall safety for motorists and pedestrians.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis defended the project, stressing that it is not simply about erecting a wall.

“This project will not only repair and install safety barriers, but will also include new pedestrian crossings, improved lighting and safety interventions for recreational spaces along the N2,” Hill-Lewis said.

He further noted that the infrastructure upgrades would complement increased law-enforcement visibility, adding that “the City has already deployed additional metro police officers along the N2 to strengthen highway patrols.”

The African National Congress (ANC) has strongly criticised the project. According to the ANC’s Cape Town caucus leader Ndithini Tyhido, the wall is less about safety and more about optics.

“This is about hiding poverty from tourists who travel from the airport into the city,” Tyhido said, accusing the City of sidelining communities living near the highway.

Tyhido argued that the funds would be better spent on community-based crime prevention, saying, “Instead of building a wall, that money should be used to capacitate neighbourhood watches and community policing forums so that communities themselves benefit.”

As reported by VOC News, similar concerns have been echoed by other political parties, including the GOOD Party, which questioned whether the project addresses long-term safety or merely creates a physical barrier without solving deeper social challenges.

Supporters of the project argue that immediate infrastructure intervention is necessary to protect road users, while critics warn that the wall risks reinforcing inequality and diverting resources away from sustainable community development.

The City is expected to continue public engagement as part of the budget process, with debate over the N2 project reflecting broader tensions around crime prevention, tourism, and social justice in Cape Town.

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