PETITION TO THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CAPE TOWN

Urgent Demand

Infrastructure Moratorium and Capital Budget Allocation for the Brackenfell Boulevard / Vredekloof Corridor

SUBJECT: Infrastructure Petition to the Executive Mayor regarding Brackenfell Boulevard Gridlock

Following our ongoing concerns and the Tygerberg Business Chamber’s formal follow-up correspondence to Cllr Roberto Quintas in June 2026, the situation has escalated dramatically. The Municipal Planning Tribunal has officially approved Case ID 1500118151 (41 Charles Drive – Glengarry Mixed Use Development), granting a massive development basket of 2,073 residential units and 26,000  of commercial space.

Compounding this, we have become aware of the R585 million CapeGate Office Precinct launching in 2027, which will introduce an additional 11,000  of commercial space and 658 permanent parking bays to our immediate roads without a public participation window.

When we layer these two massive projects on top of the imminent opening of the new Bracken Heights High School in 2027, our local road network faces total paralysis. The City is continuing to approve intensive rights in isolation, completely ignoring the cumulative impact on Brackenfell Boulevard and the N1 bridge.

The formal 21-day appeal window closes this Thursday, July 9, 2026. While the Vredekloof CID and affected property owners are lodging formal appeals, we have very limited time. Furthermore, the official appeal framework is restricted only to those who formally objected originally.

To circumvent this and create immediate pressure, we are launching a parallel Community & Business Petition directly to Executive Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, who acts as the ultimate Appeal Authority.

To give this petition undeniable teeth, we have integrated the exact data from our comprehensive road-user survey. The mathematical proof is staggering:

  • 78.1% of the 4,280 local respondents categorize the current bridge congestion as serious and disruptive.
  • 67.3% report that the gridlock actively impacts their daily business productivity “Very negatively”.
  • 94% of the 4,280 respondents demand an immediate freeze on further approvals until the Brackenfell Boulevard bridge is physically dualled to 4 lanes.

Our Request to all Road Users:

We need to get thousands of signatures directly onto the Mayor’s desk before the appeal report is finalized.

Attached is the full text of the petition for your review. Please fill in your details, sign and submit as requested.

The buck stops with the Mayor—it is time the City aligns its capital budget with our reality.

We as a community affected by this congestion now has to make our voices heard!

Infrastructure Moratorium and Capital Budget Allocation for the Brackenfell Boulevard / Vredekloof Corridor

MAPS FOR CONTEXT

All 4 developments next to / near Brackenfell Boulevard have been approved.

  1. The new Brackenfell High School for +- 1,200 learners is almost finished and will open in 2027. The impact of its traffic was not considered in any of the other developments.
  2. The Welgemeend Development for 198 residential units is approved and construction will commence in the next 2 months.
  3. The Môreson Development (250 appartments) is under construction.
  4. The Glengarry Mixed Use Development for 2,073 residential units and 26,000 sqm of commercial/retail space was approved and the appeal process closes on 9 July 2026. – Petition!
  5. A 5th development, R585 million CapeGate Office Precinct will launch in 2027. No Public Participation and no Traffic Impac Assessment (TIA)!

 

 

Make your voice heard!

IF YOU are affected by the congestion, battling to get your kids to school, yourself to work and your business operating, please complete the survey and submit.

 

Click here to download the petition.
Downloads and Links
Developments
  • A 250 unit complex has been approved in Vredekloof East. This development will have a direct impact on Brackenfell Boulevard. Construction in progress!
  • New high school for Brackenfell – TygerBurger 6 February 2025. Construction in progress!
  • The Welgemeend Development in Vredekloof for 198 erven were approved on 9 December 2024. Construction will commence soon!
  • R585 million CapeGate Office Precinct launching in 2027
  • An application for a Mixed-Use Development with 2,073 Residential opportunities at Glengarry.– Approved. Appeal process closes on 9 July 2026.
  • Planning for the R300 extension in a northern direction is in an advanced stage. This project will have a major impact on the traffic during the construction period.

All of the above will have a significant impact on traffic congestion on Brackenfell Boulevard.

Correspondence
Correspondence with the MMC for Urban Mobility on 06 November 2024

Dear Councillor,

I hope this email finds you well.

We are just following up on a recent media enquiry by the Tygerburger regarding the congestion of Brackenfell Boulevard and the upgrade thereof.

In the response you acknowledged that Brackenfell Boulevard is congested, and that Brackenfell Boulevard is on the prioritised list of identified congestion projects, but like other projects in the congestion programme, due to limited budgets, projects have to be implemented according to the prioritised list.

You also said that the City will be able to tie into the bridge widening that Sanral is proposing once budget is available and, in this way, in time, incrementally upgrade Brackenfell Boulevard to address the congestion being experienced.

In conclusion you mentioned that every new development in the city in terms of the City’s Development Charges (DC) policy, has to pay their share of the development charges due.

With reference to the above, can you please provide us with more information or clarity on the following:

  1. The prioritized list of congestion projects, in order of priority?
  2. What exactly do you mean by
    1. “to tie into the bridge widening”, and
    2. “in time, incrementally upgrade Brackenfell Boulevard” and what is the timeframe for this?
  3. Did the development that is currently underway in Vredekloof East, pay any Development Charges and if so, how will it be utilized to widen Brackenfell Boulevard?
  4. Was there any consultation and or negotiations between the City and Sanral regarding the proposed upgrade / widening of the Brackenfell Boulevard bridge, and if so, what was the outcome thereof?
  5. According to Sanral, they are prepared to widen the bridge to four lanes on condition that the City widen Brackenfell Boulevard to 4 lanes. Their current plans only make provision for 3 lanes. Did the City try to negotiate for a 4-lane bridge, because once it is 3-lanes, it will stay 3-lanes forever?

08 February 2025 – Still unanswered.