The N2 is a
national route in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
that runs from
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
through
George,
Gqeberha,
East London,
Mthatha
Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matan ...
and
Durban
Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
to
Ermelo. It is the main highway along the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by ...
coast of the country. Its current length of makes it the longest
numbered route in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
.
Route
Major towns and cities along the route of the N2 include
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
,
Somerset West,
Caledon,
Swellendam,
Mossel Bay,
George,
Knysna
Knysna () is a town with 76,150 inhabitants (2019 mid-year estimates) in the Western Cape province of South Africa. and is one of the destinations on the loosely defined Garden Route tourist route. It lies at 34° 2' 6.3168'' S and 23° 2' 4 ...
,
Plettenberg Bay,
Humansdorp,
Port Elizabeth
Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, So ...
,
Grahamstown
Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London. Makhanda is the largest town in the Makana ...
,
Qonce
Qonce, formerly known as King William's Town, is a city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa along the banks of the Buffalo River. The city is about northwest of the Indian Ocean port of East London. Qonce, with a population of aro ...
(formerly King William's Town),
Bhisho
Bhisho (formerly Bisho) is the capital of the Eastern Cape province in South Africa. The Office of the Premier, Provincial Legislature and many other government departments are headquartered in the town. The town, three kilometres from Qonce and ...
,
East London,
Mthatha
Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matan ...
,
Kokstad
Kokstad is a town in the Harry Gwala District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Kokstad is named after the Griqua chief Adam Kok III who settled here in 1863. Kokstad is the capital town of the East Griqualand region, as it ...
,
Port Shepstone
Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate and is positioned 120 km south of Durban. ...
,
Durban
Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
,
KwaDukuza,
Empangeni
Empangeni is a city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is approximately 157 kilometres north of Durban, in hilly countryside, overlooking a flat coastal plain and the major harbour town of Richards Bay 16 kilometres away. The N2 freeway runs east ...
,
Piet Retief and
Ermelo.
Western Cape
Cape Metropole
The N2 begins in central
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
at the northern end of Buitengracht Street, outside the entrance to the
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The first section of the N2 is
shared with the beginning of the
N1; it is a four-lane
elevated freeway that runs along a strip of land between the city centre and the
Port of Cape Town
The Port of Cape Town is the port of the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It is situated in Table Bay.
Because of its position along one of the world's busiest trade routes it is one of the busiest ports in South Africa, handling the larges ...
. On the eastern edge of the city centre the two roads split, and the N2 turns south as Nelson Mandela Boulevard, crossing above the yards and approach tracks of
Cape Town railway station.
Leaving the
Central Business District
A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
(CBD), the N2 descends to ground level after the R102 Christiaan Barnard on-ramp in
Woodstock. Continuing roughly east-southeast, the N2 intersects a few roads in the Woodstock area, most notably Roodebloem Road, which provides access to the M4 Main Road and University Estate, located on the north-western slopes of
Devil's Peak. After leaving the Woodstock area, the N2 meets the
M3 Phillip Kgosana Drive, from the southern City Bowl. Atop
Mowbray Ridge in
Observatory, these two roads merge into a massive 10-lane highway and bend around the
University of Cape Town Medical Campus and
Groote Schuur Hospital before splitting at the bottom of the ridge, with the M3 running toward the University of Cape Town and the
Southern Suburbs. This intersection, called
Hospital Bend, was the scene of frequent bottlenecks and accidents due to the lack of pre-selection lanes. However, this stretch of road has been extensively upgraded and made safer.
After Hospital Bend, the N2 turns east and forms the border between
Observatory and
Mowbray, intersecting
Main Road, Liesbeek Parkway, the
M5 Black River Highway, and Raapenberg Road. These intersections are in very close proximity and are the source of congestion on this stretch of road. However, the closing of intersections (especially that with Main Road) was deemed undesirable due to the negative impact this would have on businesses. After leaving the Southern Suburbs, the N2 travels across the
Cape Flats
The Cape Flats ( af, Die Kaapse Vlakte) is an expansive, low-lying, flat area situated to the southeast of the central business district of Cape Town. The Cape Flats is also the name of an administrative region of the City of Cape Town, which li ...
as a 6-lane freeway towards
Somerset West. It travels just past the southern end of the main runway at
Cape Town International Airport, crosses the
M7 and
R300 highways (both of which link the N2 with
Mitchells Plain
Mitchells Plain is a large township located within the City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa and situated about from the Cape Town city centre. It is one of South Africa's largest residential areas and contains multiple smaller subu ...
in the south and
Bellville and
Brackenfell in the north). After the R300, the N2 becomes a 4-lane freeway, passing nearby
Khayelitsha
Khayelitsha () is a township in Western Cape, South Africa, on the Cape Flats in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality. The name is Xhosa for ''New Home''. It is reputed to be the largest and
Macassar. It enters the
Helderberg region where it passes through
Somerset West and is reduced to an undivided highway after the
R44 intersection, which links the N2 with Stellenbosch and the Winelands. Here it passes through several intersections with
traffic lights
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traf ...
, which cause frequent congestion. After Somerset West, it bypasses
Strand,
Gordon's Bay, and
Sir Lowry's Pass Village
Sir Lowry's Pass Village is a town near the base of Sir Lowry's Pass, about 60 km from Cape Town, South Africa.
History
In 1846 there was a post office, run by a postmistress, Mrs Walters, and six farms in the area. 43 years later the fir ...
.
Overberg
After Sir Lowry's Pass Village, the N2 climbs
Sir Lowry's Pass
Sir Lowry's Pass is a mountain pass on the N2 national road in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It crosses the Hottentots Holland Mountains between Somerset West and the Elgin valley, on the main route between Cape Town and the Ga ...
to enter the
Overberg
__NOTOC__
Overberg is a region in South Africa to the east of Cape Town beyond the Hottentots-Holland mountains. It lies along the Western Cape Province's south coast between the Cape Peninsula and the region known as the Garden Route in the ...
region. It passes near the town of
Grabouw on the
Hottentots-Holland
The Hottentots Holland Mountains are part of the Cape Fold Belt in the Western Cape, South Africa. The mountain range forms a barrier between the Cape Town metropolitan area and the southern Overberg coast.
The range is primarily composed of Ta ...
plateau before descending the
Houwhoek Pass to
Botrivier. It then passes across the agricultural plains through the towns of
Caledon,
Riviersonderend,
Swellendam and
Riversdale to re-approach the coast at
Mossel Bay, which marks the beginning of the
Garden Route
The Garden Route (Afrikaans: ''Tuinroete'') is a stretch of the south-eastern coast of South Africa which extends from Witsand in the Western Cape to the border of Tsitsikamma Storms River in the Eastern Cape. The name comes from the verdan ...
.
Garden Route
Just west of
Mossel Bay, the N2 again becomes a divided freeway, and remains one as far as the intersection with the
N9/
N12 just outside
George. From there, it travels across Kaaiman's Pass (see below) to
Wilderness and on to
Knysna
Knysna () is a town with 76,150 inhabitants (2019 mid-year estimates) in the Western Cape province of South Africa. and is one of the destinations on the loosely defined Garden Route tourist route. It lies at 34° 2' 6.3168'' S and 23° 2' 4 ...
and
Plettenberg Bay. After Plettenberg Bay, a section of the road is
tolled as the
Tsitsikamma
The Tsitsikamma National Park is a protected area on the Garden Route, Western Cape and Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is a coastal reserve well known for its indigenous forests, dramatic coastline, and the Otter Trail. On 6 March 2009 it was am ...
Toll Route, primarily because of the
Bloukrans Bridge. An alternative route used to run through
Nature's Valley
Nature's Valley is a holiday resort and small village on the Garden Route along the southern Cape coast of South Africa. Nature's Valley lies between the Salt River, the foothills of the Tsitsikamma Mountains, the Indian Ocean and the Groot River ...
but this was closed in 2007 after flood damage. The Bloukrans Bridge marks the border with the
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...
and is the site of the world's highest bridge bungy,
Bloukrans Bridge Bungy
Bloukrans Bridge Bungy is one of the world's highest commercial bungy jumping sites at above the Bloukrans River. It is situated at Bloukrans Bridge on the N2 Highway at the border between the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape in the Tsit ...
.
Eastern Cape
After crossing the Bloukrans Bridge, the N2 becomes the Sunshine Coast Road, passing through the Southern edge of the
Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve, and regains freeway status between Nompumelelo and Witsiebos. It runs eastward as a 2-lane single carriageway highway, bypassing the resort towns of
Jeffreys Bay and
St. Francis Bay, as well as the town of
Humansdorp. The bridges along the intersections of the regional roads with the N2 have widened decks, which indicate the ambitions of future dualling of the entire stretch of the N2 between Nompumelelo and
Colchester
Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian.
Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colch ...
. It becomes a 4-lane dual carriageway freeway at the
Van Stadens Bridge, which marks its entrance into the
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality ( af, Nelson Mandelabaai Metropolitaanse Munisipaliteit; xh, uMasipala wase Nelson Mandela Bay or ''uMasipala waseBhayi'') is one of eight metropolitan municipalities (also called Category A municipalities) in S ...
, the third-largest metropolis along the N2. It proceeds eastwards to the city of
Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth).
Nelson Mandela Bay
After the
Van Stadens Bridge, the N2 meets the
R102, which provides an alternative route to
KwaNobuhle and
Kariega (formerly Uitenhage) via the
R334. It then enters Gqeberha as a 4-lane dual carriageway freeway. It runs eastward past the suburbs of Kabega Park and Tulbargh before making a north-easterly turn just after the
R102 Kragga Kamma Road/Cape Road intersection in More Grove. It then bypasses the suburbs of Newton Park and Korsten before meeting the
R75 at the Commercial Road Intersection, with the R75 linking to the Gqeberha city centre in the south and to Kariega and
Graaff-Reinet in the north.
It then passes through northern Sidwell, intersecting Kempston Drive (which links with the New Brighton and KwaZakhele suburbs in the north), and the M4 Settlers Way Highway (which links the N2 with the CBD and
Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport in the south and the industrial areas of Deal Party in the north). The N2 then leaves the city of Gqeberha running northwards toward
Colchester
Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian.
Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colch ...
, adjacent to the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by ...
, first passing across the estuarine area of the Swartkops River before meeting the
R335 (which provides access to
Motherwell
Motherwell ( sco, Mitherwall, gd, Tobar na Màthar) is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, south east of Glasgow. It has a population of around 32,120. Historically in the parish of Dalziel and part of Lana ...
) and bypassing the
Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ), with a major intersection with Neptune Road linking the harbour with the N2. It loses freeway status after the
R334 Addo South Gate intersection, and becomes a 2-lane single-carriageway highway after
Colchester
Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian.
Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colch ...
.
After Colchester, the N2 leaves the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality and turns north-eastwards, moving away from the coast towards
Grahamstown
Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London. Makhanda is the largest town in the Makana ...
; just after Colchester, the N2 meets the southern terminus of the
N10 (which heads northwards towards
Middelburg and eventually
Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
).
After passing around Grahamstown (also known as Makhanda) on a bypass, the N2 passes through the former
Ciskei
Ciskei (, or ) was a Bantustan for the Xhosa people-located in the southeast of South Africa. It covered an area of , almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province, and possessed a small coastline along the shore of the Indian O ...
, including
Peddie, to enter the
Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
Buffalo City is a metropolitan municipality situated on the east coast of Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. It includes the towns of East London, Bhisho and Qonce, as well as the large townships of Mdantsane and Zwelitsha.
History
The mun ...
.
Buffalo City (Qonce- East London)
At
Qonce (King William's Town) in Buffalo City, it meets the
R63 and after several traffic-light intersections, the N2 turns east-southeast towards the coast, meeting it at
East London.
The N2 becomes a 4-lane dual carriageway road after leaving
Qonce
Qonce, formerly known as King William's Town, is a city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa along the banks of the Buffalo River. The city is about northwest of the Indian Ocean port of East London. Qonce, with a population of aro ...
, and regains freeway status at the La Rochelle Street intersection in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...
, just outside East London. It runs past Fort Jackson and
Mdantsane (there is a lack of access between the N2 and Mdantsane, despite the size of the township). It then enters the city of East London as it passes to the north of Amalinda. After the M4 Amalinda Main Road intersection, it runs north of Vincent, intersecting the M1 Western Avenue (which links the CBD to Hemingways Mall and the outlying rural areas situated along the
Nahoon River). It then descends into the Nahoon River Valley, meeting the
N6 after crossing the Nahoon River. The N2 then passes through Beacon Bay, partially intersecting the M8 Beacon Bay Road, and exits the city of East London before bypassing
Gonubie to the north of the city. The N2 then becomes a 2-lane single-carriageway highway after the R102 Main Road intersection (Gonubie Interchange) which is also the proposed start of the
Wild Coast Toll Road and is to run for towards Port Edward. It then continues as a freeway until shortly after the Brakfontein intersection, after which it leaves the
Buffalo City Metro.
After East London, the N2 turns again towards the interior in a northeasterly direction to avoid the difficult terrain of the
Wild Coast. It passes through the former
Transkei
Transkei (, meaning ''the area beyond he riverKei''), officially the Republic of Transkei ( xh, iRiphabliki yeTranskei), was an unrecognised state in the southeastern region of South Africa from 1976 to 1994. It was, along with Ciskei, a Ba ...
and its former capital,
Mthatha
Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matan ...
(There are plans for the N2 to run as a 4-lane dual carriageway highway from Viedgesville to the Ngqeleni Village turn off, bypassing Mthatha to the south, as part of the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road). After passing Mthatha, the N2 passes through the towns of
Qumbu,
Mount Frere
Mount Frere, officially KwaBhaca, is a town located in the Eastern Cape province, previously known as the Transkei region, of South Africa. Its name in Xhosa is KwaBhaca, or "village of the Bhaca chiefdom", or "place of the Bhaca people", who ...
(KwaBhaca) and
Mount Ayliff. Near
Kokstad
Kokstad is a town in the Harry Gwala District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Kokstad is named after the Griqua chief Adam Kok III who settled here in 1863. Kokstad is the capital town of the East Griqualand region, as it ...
, the N2 climbs Brook's Nek to enter the province of
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is loca ...
.
KwaZulu-Natal
The N2 enters
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is loca ...
atop Brooks Nek, after which it bypasses
Kokstad
Kokstad is a town in the Harry Gwala District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Kokstad is named after the Griqua chief Adam Kok III who settled here in 1863. Kokstad is the capital town of the East Griqualand region, as it ...
to the south. This is also where the N2 meets the
R56 from
Matatiele
Matatiele is a town located in the northern part of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. According to the South African National Census of 2011, its 12,466 residents (1,113.44 per km²) and 4,107 households (366.83 per km²) make Matatie ...
. The N2 and the R56 are co-signed for , until which the R56 splits from the N2 at Stafford's Post. The N2 then runs southwards past the rural towns of
Harding
Harding may refer to:
People
*Harding (surname)
*Maureen Harding Clark (born 1946), Irish jurist
Places Australia
* Harding River
Iran
* Harding, Iran, a village in South Khorasan Province
South Africa
* Harding, KwaZulu-Natal
United St ...
and
Izingolweni, to enter
Port Shepstone
Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate and is positioned 120 km south of Durban. ...
from the west through its suburb of
Marburg
Marburg ( or ) is a university town in the German federal state (''Bundesland'') of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district (''Landkreis''). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has a population of approximat ...
, meeting the north-eastern terminus of the
R61 Highway at the Oribi Toll Plaza. This interchange with the R61 is to be the eastern end of the
N2 Wild Coast Toll Route
The N2 is a national route in South Africa that runs from Cape Town through George, Gqeberha, East London, Mthatha and Durban to Ermelo. It is the main highway along the Indian Ocean coast of the country. Its current length of makes it the l ...
from
East London via
Mthatha
Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matan ...
and
Port Edward.
The N2 then turns to the north at the Oribi Toll Plaza, becoming a highway (taking over from the R61). It runs northward from the R61 interchange as the
KwaZulu-Natal South Coast
KwaZulu-Natal South Coast (better known as the KZN South Coast or just the South Coast) is a region on the southern coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It stretches from Scottburgh in the north to Port Edward in the south and Harding in the ...
Highway, first running as a dual carriageway freeway for , then losing dual carriageway status after the
Umtentweni off-ramp (where it ceases to be a toll road), before regaining dual carriageway status just after
Hibberdene
Hibberdene is a small coastal town on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast in South Africa. It was named after C. Maxwell-Hibberd, the former postmaster-general of Natal.
Hibberdene is located in the Hibiscus Coast region of the KZN South Coast and ...
. It passes through the rural areas of Southern KwaZulu-Natal, with the rural towns of
Mthwalume
Mtwalume is a settlement in Ugu District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.
A small seaside village about 87 km south of Durban, it is predominantly a holiday and fishing village. The name "Mtwalume" is derived from ...
,
Umzinto and
Dududu
Dududu is a small rural area in the South Coast of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It is also referred to as Zembeni by locals. The area is primarily used for agriculture, i.e. the sugarcane plantations by the Illovo Sugar company.
...
, and the resort towns of
Pennington,
Park Rynie
Park Rynie is a small resort town on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It was established in 1857 and possibly named after Renetta (nicknamed Rynie) Hoets, wife of one of the John Phillip Hoffman, partner in the firm Nosworthy ...
and
Scottburgh
Scottburgh () is a coastal resort town located on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It situated south of the mouth of the Mpambanyoni River ''(confuser of birds).''
History
Named after Natal Colony Governor John Scott, in 186 ...
lying to the west and east of the N2, respectively.
eThekwini Metropolitan Area (Durban)
The N2 enters the eThekwini Metropolitan Area south of
Durban
Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
as a dual carriageway freeway just north of
Scottburgh
Scottburgh () is a coastal resort town located on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It situated south of the mouth of the Mpambanyoni River ''(confuser of birds).''
History
Named after Natal Colony Governor John Scott, in 186 ...
. It runs past the towns of
Umkomaas and
Umgababa
Umgababa is a rural community area with a large marketplace for tourists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It forms part of eThekwini.
Etymology
The river valley's name ''uMgababa'' is of Zulu origin meaning ''the place of jealousy'', its origin f ...
, before entering the urban area of eThekwini at
Kingsburgh and
Amanzimtoti. It runs past
Isipingo
Isipingo is a town situated south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and currently forms part of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. The town is named after the Siphingo River, which in turn is thought to be named (in the Zulu language) f ...
and the old
Durban International Airport, before splitting from the
M4 at
Umlazi, the M4 provides alternative highway access to the Durban CBD. After the M4 interchange, the N2 runs as an 8-lane dual carriageway freeway around the city of Durban known as the
Outer Ring Road, passing through the suburbs of
Mobeni
Mobeni is a suburb of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and forms part of the heavily industrialised South Durban Basin, a sub-region south of Durban.
Subdivisions
Mobeni is a collective of three suburbs that lie between Chatsworth and ...
,
Chatsworth, Sarnia, Ridgeview and Chesterville, with the M1 Higginson Highway intersection and the
M7 Solomon Mahlangu Drive interchange providing access to these suburbs as well as the town of
Queensburgh (In the future, these intersections will be converted into free-flowing interchanges to accommodate the traffic that will arise from the new Durban dig-out port, which will be situated where the defunct Durban International Airport is).
After leaving Chesterville, the N2 meets the
N3 Highway at the
EB Cloete Interchange (locally known as Spaghetti Junction) at
Westville, the only 4-level stack interchange in South Africa (until the completion of the N1/R300 Stellenberg Interchange near Cape Town). It then passes through the suburbs of Clare Hills and
Reservoir Hills, meeting the
M19 Umgeni Drive at a large intersection just outside of Reservoir Hills. It then continues northwards past Parlock, Riverhorse Valley, Briardene and Sea Cow Lake, with the M43 Queen Nandi Drive and the R102
KwaMashu
KwaMashu is a township north of Durban, South Africa. The name is in honour of Sir Marshall Campbell and means ''Place of Marshall''. KwaMashu is bordered by Newlands East to the south, Newlands West to the west, Ntuzuma to the north, Phoenix t ...
Highway providing access to these places, thereafter exiting the city of Durban and continuing towards
Cornubia and
uMhlanga, meeting the
M41 at the
Mount Edgecombe Interchange where the
Durban Outer Ring Road
The Durban Outer Ring Road is a half ring road that circles the coastal city of Durban, South Africa. It consists fully of the N2 highway which links the North and South Coasts of KwaZulu-Natal, with the main link to the city being provided by the ...
ends.
It then runs to the east of
Verulam and to the west of
eMdloti, passing by the
King Shaka International Airport
King Shaka International Airport , abbreviated KSIA, is the primary international airport serving Durban, South Africa. Located in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal, approximately north of the city centre of Durban. The airport opened its doors to pass ...
, it is also here that the
KwaZulu-Natal North Coast Toll Road begins. After the airport, it is tolled at
oThongathi
oThongathi (previously and popularly known as Tongaat) is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, about north of Durban and south of KwaDukuza. It now forms part of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, or the Greater Durban area. The area is hom ...
, before leaving the
Durban Metro.
After eThekwini, the N2 runs toward
Mtunzini
Mtunzini ( Zulu: ''eMthunzini'', from ''umthunzi'' meaning "a place in the shade") is a small coastal town that is situated almost exactly halfway along KwaZulu-Natal's coastline in South Africa approximately 140 km north of Durban. In 2011, t ...
, passing through
Ballito before being tolled again at the Mvoti Toll Plaza before
KwaDukuza (formerly Stanger). It meets the
R74 near
KwaDukuza and shortly after ends as a dual-carriageway freeway. It then continues as a 4-lane single carriageway highway and passes through sugar cane plantations on the
KwaZulu-Natal North Coast. It is tolled for the final time at Mtunzini and meets the
R34, which provides access to
Richards Bay to the east and
Empangeni
Empangeni is a city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is approximately 157 kilometres north of Durban, in hilly countryside, overlooking a flat coastal plain and the major harbour town of Richards Bay 16 kilometres away. The N2 freeway runs east ...
and
Ulundi to the west. The stretch of the N2 between Mtunzini and Empangeni has been upgraded to a 4-lane dual carriageway. After Richards Bay, the N2 turns north, moving away from the coast into the heart of
Zululand, where it bypasses
Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park to the west (where the
R618 provides access) and runs past the town of
Mkuze
Mkuze, also named Mkhuze or uMkhuze is a small town in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is located approximately 350 km from the city of Durban. It is along the N2 road en route to Johannesburg, Eswatini and Mozambique; between the M ...
before turning to the north-west and running close to the border of
Eswatini
Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its no ...
, passing the town of
Pongola.
Mpumalanga
After leaving
Pongola, the N2 makes a direct line for
Piet Retief (eMkhondo) and meets the
R33 to be co-signed with it as the main road through the town centre before splitting 12 km north of the town. It then heads north-west to
Ermelo, where it terminates at the
N11 at the corner of Voortrekkerlaan and De Emigratie Street in the town centre, just south of the N11's intersection with the
N17.
The total length of the road is .
Toll Plazas
Toll plazas on the N2 include:
Tsitsikamma Toll Route
*Tsitsikamma Toll Plaza, near
Nature's Valley
Nature's Valley is a holiday resort and small village on the Garden Route along the southern Cape coast of South Africa. Nature's Valley lies between the Salt River, the foothills of the Tsitsikamma Mountains, the Indian Ocean and the Groot River ...
(includes ramp toll plazas)
South Coast Toll Route
*Oribi Toll Plaza,
Port Shepstone
Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate and is positioned 120 km south of Durban. ...
(includes ramp toll plazas)
*Umtentweni Ramp Toll Plaza,
Port Shepstone
Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate and is positioned 120 km south of Durban. ...
North Coast Toll Route
*King Shaka Ramp Toll Plaza, near
King Shaka International Airport
King Shaka International Airport , abbreviated KSIA, is the primary international airport serving Durban, South Africa. Located in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal, approximately north of the city centre of Durban. The airport opened its doors to pass ...
*oThongathi Toll Plaza, near
oThongathi
oThongathi (previously and popularly known as Tongaat) is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, about north of Durban and south of KwaDukuza. It now forms part of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, or the Greater Durban area. The area is hom ...
(includes ramp toll plazas)
*Mvoti Toll Plaza, near
KwaDukuza
*Mandini Ramp Toll Plaza, near
Mandini
*Dokodweni Ramp Toll Plaza,
Dokodweni (near
Gingindlovu)
*Mtunzini Toll Plaza,
Mtunzini
Mtunzini ( Zulu: ''eMthunzini'', from ''umthunzi'' meaning "a place in the shade") is a small coastal town that is situated almost exactly halfway along KwaZulu-Natal's coastline in South Africa approximately 140 km north of Durban. In 2011, t ...
(includes ramp toll plazas)
Disruption to route
Heavy rains in 2006 triggered a mud-slide on the Kaaiman's pass section of the N2 between
George and
Wilderness. This caused the road to be temporarily closed from 26 August. As a result of the slide, a section of roadway sagged and large cracks appeared on the road surface. After an inspection by a team of engineers a single lane was reopened on 29 August for vehicles with a gross mass of under .
An alternative route following the
Saasveld
Saasveld is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 7 km north of Hengelo.
Overview
It was first mentioned in 1145 as Saterslo. The etymology is unclear. The castle Sat ...
road was put into use, but this road only allows for a single lane of traffic and light vehicles. Heavy vehicles have to take an alternative route via the R62 and
Langkloof
The Langkloof is a 160 km long valley in South Africa, lying between Herold, a small village northeast of George, and The Heights - just beyond Twee Riviere.
History
The kloof was given its name by Isaq Schrijver in 1689, and more thoroug ...
pass effectively lengthening the distance from George to Wilderness from 11 to over 60 km (6.8 to 38 mi). The road has since reopened while major repairs continue.
Traffic on the N2 has also been disrupted on numerous occasions because of protests. On 10 September 2007, residents of
Joe Slovo Informal Settlement blockaded the N2 Freeway in Cape Town near
Langa. Police responded with rubber bullets, injuring over 30 residents. On 4 December 2008, a few thousand residents of
eMachambini, between
KwaDukuza and
Richards Bay in KZN, blockaded the N2 Freeway in protest against the proposed
AmaZulu World Themepark. Police opened fire and injured about 23 residents and arrested about 10.
On 20 October 2012, a section of the N2 was closed after heavy rainfall caused a collapse about outside
Grahamstown
Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London. Makhanda is the largest town in the Makana ...
.
Planned Wild Coast realignment (N2WCTR)
As of 2018, there are plans to realign the N2 National Route from
Port Shepstone
Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate and is positioned 120 km south of Durban. ...
to
Mthatha
Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matan ...
, on a shorter stretch of road, and designate the entire stretch between Port Shepstone and
East London as a
toll road
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or '' toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implement ...
. As at 2022, these plans are still in the process of being completed.
It is scheduled for completion in 2024 and this new N2 route will take over the entire section of the current
R61 Route from
Port Shepstone
Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate and is positioned 120 km south of Durban. ...
to
Mthatha
Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matan ...
,
with realignment between
Port Edward and
Lusikisiki (providing a shorter stretch of road between the two towns).
This new route, known as the Wild Coast Toll Route (N2WCTR), will extend from
East London (Gonubie Interchange) to
Port Shepstone
Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate and is positioned 120 km south of Durban. ...
(Oribi Toll Plaza)
and extend further north-east through
Park Rynie
Park Rynie is a small resort town on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It was established in 1857 and possibly named after Renetta (nicknamed Rynie) Hoets, wife of one of the John Phillip Hoffman, partner in the firm Nosworthy ...
to the
Isipingo
Isipingo is a town situated south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and currently forms part of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. The town is named after the Siphingo River, which in turn is thought to be named (in the Zulu language) f ...
Interchange, south of
Durban
Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
.
There will be two new "greenfields" sections, one between Port St. John's and Lusikisiki, and the other between Lusikisiki and Port Edward. The latter greenfields section will provide a shorter and more direct route between
Port Edward and
Lusikisiki while the current R61 passes through
Flagstaff and
Bizana on route between the two towns. The greenfields sections will include two new toll plazas, namely the Mthentu Toll Plaza between Lusikisiki and
Port Edward, and the Ndwalane Toll Plaza just outside of
Port St. Johns
Port St. Johns (or Port Saint Johns) is a town of about 6,500 people on the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated at the mouth of the Umzimvubu River, northeast of East London and east of Mthatha. Port St. J ...
.
The stretch from
East London to
Mthatha
Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matan ...
will also have two toll plazas installed: the Ngobozi Toll Plaza just north of the Great Kei Bridge and the Candu Toll Plaza just north-east of
Idutywa.
In this project, there are also plans to widen the N2 from Port St. Johns to
East London to a 4-lane undivided highway. The new greenfields section between Lusikisiki and Port Edward will also include a 4-lane undivided highway, with a 4-lane dual carriageway through Lusikisiki. Bypasses around the towns of
Butterworth Butterworth may refer to:
Places
* Butterworth (ancient township), a former township centred on Milnrow, in the then Parish of Rochdale, England, United Kingdom
* Butterworth, Eastern Cape, now also known as Gcuwa, a town located in South Africa
* ...
(Gcuwa),
Idutywa and Mthatha are to be constructed after the completion of the new toll road. According to Traveller24, this new route will be around shorter than the current N2 (and 69 km shorter than the current R61) and will be a faster route by about 3 hours for heavy vehicles (1½ hours for light vehicles).
Once this new 'Wild Coast Highway' is complete, the distance between Durban and East London will be reduced to and the overall route between Durban and Cape Town will be reduced to , making the newer N2 the shorter route between Durban and Cape Town. The old N2 route passing through
Harding
Harding may refer to:
People
*Harding (surname)
*Maureen Harding Clark (born 1946), Irish jurist
Places Australia
* Harding River
Iran
* Harding, Iran, a village in South Khorasan Province
South Africa
* Harding, KwaZulu-Natal
United St ...
,
Kokstad
Kokstad is a town in the Harry Gwala District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Kokstad is named after the Griqua chief Adam Kok III who settled here in 1863. Kokstad is the capital town of the East Griqualand region, as it ...
and
KwaBhaca would then be designated as the
R102.
As of 2021, some road signs on the Port Shepstone to Port Edward section of the R61 have already been changed to signs indicating the N2. Also, as of 2021, parts of the road in the
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...
are under construction.
South Africa's road agency,
SANRAL
The South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd or SANRAL is a South African parastatal responsible for the management, maintenance and development of South Africa's proclaimed National Road network which includes many (but not all) National ("N") ...
, also initially planned to do some work on the existing section of the N2 Highway from
Port Shepstone
Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate and is positioned 120 km south of Durban. ...
to
Durban
Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
as part of this project, including installing toll plazas at
Park Rynie
Park Rynie is a small resort town on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It was established in 1857 and possibly named after Renetta (nicknamed Rynie) Hoets, wife of one of the John Phillip Hoffman, partner in the firm Nosworthy ...
(midway between Port Shepstone and Durban; just north of the
R612 off-ramp) and at
Isipingo
Isipingo is a town situated south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and currently forms part of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. The town is named after the Siphingo River, which in turn is thought to be named (in the Zulu language) f ...
(in the southern part of Durban; where the
Durban Outer Ring Road
The Durban Outer Ring Road is a half ring road that circles the coastal city of Durban, South Africa. It consists fully of the N2 highway which links the North and South Coasts of KwaZulu-Natal, with the main link to the city being provided by the ...
begins). SANRAL received opposition from the
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality council as well as several businesses in the area over the proposed Isipingo Toll Plaza due to concerns over expenses for drivers in South Durban and traffic in the same area.
Several companies in the area, led by
Toyota South Africa, took SANRAL to court, and the proposed Isipingo tollgate was cancelled (the Park Rynie tollgate wasn't). However, SANRAL has said that the tolling of the N2 South Coast Highway will be considered "in the foreseeable future".
See also
*
National Roads in South Africa
National routes in South Africa are a class of trunk roads and freeways which connect major cities. They form the highest category in the South African route numbering scheme, and are designated with route numbers beginning with "N", from N1 ...
*The
N2 Gateway Housing Project along the N2 freeway in Cape Town
References
External links
*
N2 Wild Coast Toll Route Construction Updates
{{Western Cape highways
Highways in South Africa
National Roads in South Africa
Roads in Cape Town
Roads in South Africa
Toll roads in South Africa
Transport in Durban
Transport in Port Elizabeth