'That's our money': Residents take R114m N2 wall fight to Sea Point - IOL

A mock wall made from cardboard boxes formed part of the Heritage Day protest on Sea Point Promenade against the City of Cape Town's R114m N2 Edge project.

Residents from some of Cape Town's poorer communities took their fight over Cape Town's R114 million N2 wall to Sea Point Promenade, saying the money should rather be spent on communities battling sewage, potholes, crime and poor services.

Movement for CARE held the protest on the Promenade on Thursday, where residents from Khayelitsha, Manenberg and Langa spoke about conditions in their communities and questioned why R114 million was being spent on the N2 project.

Movement for CARE co-founder Axolile Notywala said residents wanted the money invested in communities where basic services were failing.

“Our streets are full of s***, while our roads are not working, there are big potholes, while there is gang violence in our community, our young people are busy with drugs because they don’t have opportunity,” he said.

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

Notywala said there was a stark difference between conditions in poorer communities and 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.”

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.

Manenberg resident Rashid Isaacs also questioned why people were still living in poor conditions and raised concerns about safety, particularly for women.

“Who’s benefiting? We live in the poverty margin and have to suffer. We put them there to create a better future for us, but it’s not happened,” Isaacs said.

He also questioned what residents were celebrating on public holidays such as Heritage Day and Freedom Day when conditions had not changed in many communities.

“1994 has passed, apartheid has ended, so is it a must to live the way we live if apartheid has ended?” Isaacs said.

“What freedom are we actually celebrating?”

Sisa Nobadna, founder of Qk Qula Kwedini, an organisation working to uplift and upskill boys and young men in Langa, also joined the protest.

The City has defended the R114 million N2 Edge project, saying it is intended to improve safety and restrict uncontrolled access to the highway.

Cape Argus reported on September 16, 2026, that Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the City would go ahead with the roughly 9km project despite opposition.

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

Movement for CARE has rejected that argument and has dubbed the project an “apartheid wall”.

With the November 4 elections approaching, Isaacs also had a message for voters.

“If you vote the 4th of November, may your vote be wise.”

Notywala called for “a government that will represent all people”, accusing the current administration of representing “white people only”.