Cape Town’s proposed N2 safety wall has become a flashpoint in the debate over crime, public spending and the needs of communities living alongside one of the city’s busiest highways. Two surveys have produced dramatically different results on whether the R114 million project is the right response to the area’s safety challenges, Cape {town} Etc reports.
An eNCA election survey conducted by MarkData found that almost 70% of respondents supported the proposed wall, while close to 20% opposed it. However, a separate independent report painted a very different picture, finding that nearly 94% of its respondents were against the project.
The contrasting figures highlight how divided opinion remains over a project intended to protect motorists from criminal attacks and reduce pedestrian fatalities along the N2.
Safety concerns meet questions about spending
Support for the wall reflects the importance of road safety and security on a major transport route where motorists and pedestrians face different risks. But opponents argue that a concrete barrier alone cannot address the wider social conditions contributing to crime and insecurity.
Reportedly, some respondents to the independent survey reportedly argued that the money would be better spent on education, housing and job creation. National Coloured Congress representative Jacobus Gelant questioned whether the City’s newly established Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit was being deployed where residents needed it most.
‘The SWAT team was launched two weeks ago by the City. They have been in existence for about three months now, just doing training for about five hours every single day.’
– Jacobus Gelant, National Coloured Congress representative
He called for the officers to be deployed in communities affected by gang violence and alleged that resources were being directed towards protecting the planned wall instead. These were Gelant’s allegations, rather than independently established findings.
Calls for more investment in struggling communities
Reportedly, GOOD Party mayoral candidate Brett Herron also challenged the balance between law enforcement spending and community development.
‘They are neglecting their community development mandate and over emphasising and overfunding their policing mandate.’
– Brett Herron, GOOD Party mayoral candidate.
He argued that investment in surveillance technology, drones and the N2 project should be considered alongside spending on housing, sports facilities, play parks and neighbourhood upgrades. Herron also questioned whether an increased law enforcement presence was delivering the desired results, pointing to continuing murder rates in Cape Flats and township communities.
His argument reflects a broader disagreement about how best to improve safety: whether infrastructure and policing should take priority, or whether long-term investment in living conditions and opportunities should form a greater part of the response.
What the City’s N2 wall project includes
The proposal extends beyond a concrete barrier. When Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis tabled the N2 Edge safety project in Council on 29 January 2026, it included plans to reinforce and repair safety barriers along the stretch between Baden Powell Road and Bhunga Avenue.
The project also includes plans for improved lighting, pedestrian crossings, access control and safety barriers around recreational spaces serving nearby communities.
The City has allocated R7 million for detailed design work, with a further R108 million planned for the 2026/27 financial year. Major construction is scheduled to be funded in the 2027 financial year.
The budget allocation has nevertheless drawn criticism from political opponents and activists, who have described the project as a ‘cosmetic intervention’ and questioned whether it addresses the underlying causes of crime.
Why the conflicting survey results matter
The gap between the two polls is striking, but the percentages should not be treated as directly comparable without information about their respective sample sizes, respondent profiles, survey methods and fieldwork dates.
The eNCA-MarkData survey suggests considerable support among its respondents, while the independent report indicates substantial opposition among its own participants. Neither set of figures, on the information provided, establishes what all Cape Town residents think.
Ultimately, the debate is about more than a wall beside the N2. It raises questions about how public money should be spent, what effective road safety measures look like and how the City can respond to residents’ immediate security concerns while addressing the longer-term challenges facing vulnerable communities.
As the project moves through its planning stages, the competing arguments are likely to keep attention on whether the proposed infrastructure can deliver meaningful safety improvements, and how those benefits will be measured.
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