The City of Cape Town plans to build a R180-million wall along a dangerous stretch of the N2 highway near Cape Town International Airport to curb stone-throwing attacks on drivers. Residents and activists have criticized the proposal for lacking public consultation and diverting funds from addressing crime's root causes. The area, known as the 'Hell Run,' has seen multiple violent incidents targeting motorists.
The City of Cape Town intends to construct a security wall estimated at R180 million along the N2 highway corridor leading to Cape Town International Airport. This measure aims to protect motorists from stone-throwing robberies on a notorious section dubbed the 'Hell Run.' The project is slated for the next financial year, with budget details to be revealed in March.
Local residents, such as Linda Kabeni from Gugulethu, have voiced strong objections, highlighting the absence of community engagement. 'If the city wants to build a wall, there must be a public participation process,' Kabeni stated. 'You engage the community and bring us to the table.' The city's media office confirmed the planning but provided no specifics on consultations, noting commitment to the initiative despite the high cost.
The 'Hell Run' has a grim history of attacks. In August, Democratic Alliance MPs Ian Cameron, Nicholas Gotsell, and Lisa Schickerling were targeted with bricks en route to the airport. Other cases include the fatal incident involving Leonie van der Westhuizen in March 2023, who died from injuries after a stone shattered her car window, and a July 2023 assault that fractured student Lucilla Vlok's jaw. In October 2023, American tourists Jason and Kate Zoladz were robbed at gunpoint following a brick attack.
Critics argue the wall ignores underlying issues like poverty and unemployment in nearby townships such as Nyanga, Gugulethu, Philippi, and Khayelitsha, which report high rates of carjackings and murders. Tauriq Jenkins of Save Our Sacred Lands called it a 'gross misallocation of public funds,' likening it to divisive historical barriers. Chris Nissen from the South African Human Rights Commission emphasized visible policing over infrastructure, stating, 'Spending R180-million on a wall is deeply misplaced. The focus should be on people, not walls.'
The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has not been consulted and clarified jurisdictional complexities along the route. Sanele Nkompela, a Khayelitsha resident, warned that the wall would deepen class divisions, suggesting funds be redirected to housing and job creation instead.
