The City of Cape Town has confirmed that the proposed construction of a wall along the N2 highway is still in the planning phase.
Mayco member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, said the project was proposed to enhance the safety of motorists using the route.
Motorists raise safety concerns along N2 highway
The proposal follows ongoing concerns raised by motorists, who say their lives are at risk due to criminal activity along the highway.
READ ALSO: Police hunt suspects after Makhaza N2 hijacking attempt
Quintas added that more details regarding the plans would be shared once the planning phase has been finalised.
However, Mayco member for Safety and Security JP Smith said security infrastructure was only one part of the safety picture; it must be complemented by effective policing and prosecutions. The success of these depended on a criminal justice system that is effective.
“The City has been calling for the urgent and proper resourcing of the police as well as the devolution of crime-investigation powers to City officers, who are ready to assist in building prosecution-ready case dockets in support of the officers and the National Prosecuting Authority [NPA].
Policing key to success of N2 highway wall Cape Town initiative
“The City has also, within its limited resources, made major investments to expand its policing capacity. This includes over 40 new Highway Patrol officers deployed to the N2 this financial year as part of the freeway management plan, which ensures daily deployments of roughly 100 staff to major highways within the metro. This forms part of the broader deployment of 700 new officers across the metro as part of a major policing investment by the City.”
Technology and patrols to support N2 highway safety
He stressed the City was also making ongoing investments in various safety technologies, including CCTV cameras, automated licence-plate recognition, body cameras, dash cameras, and a digital system to coordinate it all, known as EPIC.
Smith said the City remained committed to safeguarding residents and will not be swayed by the opinions of opposition politicians or an acting minister.
“Other stakeholders will be engaged in line with the planning process.”
However, he emphasised the officers remained the primary law-enforcement agency and must urgently be properly resourced to win the battle against crime.
“At the root of many of the safety challenges faced in Cape Town is an ineffective and under-resourced policing system,” he concluded.
