N2 wall protest turns spotlight on Cape Town's divide - IOL

Demonstrators erected a mock wall and displayed placards during a Heritage Day protest at the Sea Point Promenade against the City of Cape Town’s R114 million N2 Edge project.

The divide between Cape Town’s poorer communities and some of its wealthiest suburbs came under scrutiny on Heritage Day as residents protesting against the City’s R114 million N2 wall questioned who gets to enjoy the city and its resources.

Movement for CARE took its campaign against the N2 Edge project to the Sea Point Promenade on Thursday, where residents spoke about conditions in communities including Khayelitsha and Langa.

Movement for CARE co-founder Axolile Notywala said the R114 million earmarked for the N2 project should instead be invested in communities battling poor services, crime and a lack of opportunities.

“We want that money to be invested in us. That is our money, it’s not their money,” Notywala said.

He also questioned the disparity between communities and wealthier areas such as Sea Point and Camps Bay.

“Only whites get rich and are left to enjoy Sea Point, Camps Bay and these places. Enough is enough, we need to reclaim our city,” he said.

“We need to enjoy the grass that is green. We need to picnic. We need to enjoy our spaces. This is all our Cape Town.”

Pointing to a map of Cape Town printed on his T-shirt, Notywala said the city should belong to all who live in it.

“There are different colours here. And we are all different races. But we all must live together.”

A demonstrator holds a "No to the wall" placard during the Heritage Day protest against the City of Cape Town's R114m wall.

His concerns were echoed by Site C resident Thandi Jolingana, who spoke about overflowing sewage, blocked toilets and drains and pipes that were not being fixed.

Movement for CARE co-founder Nkosikhona Swartbooi translated Jolingana's remarks.

“If you come to Sea Point you don’t see raw sewage overflowing, blocked toilets,” Swartbooi said while translating.

Notywala said residents in poorer communities were also dealing with potholes, gang violence and young people turning to drugs because of a lack of opportunities.

The City has defended the R114 million N2 Edge project as a safety intervention.

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said earlier this month that the City would proceed with the roughly nine-kilometre project, saying the existing fence along the N2 was dilapidated and a stronger barrier was needed to restrict uncontrolled access to the highway.

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

He said 70% of pedestrian deaths in Cape Town occurred on the N2.

Movement for CARE has dubbed the project an “apartheid wall” and wants it stopped.