In August last year, the City’s Urban Mobility Directorate commenced with major construction work along Govan Mbeki Road (M9) in the vicinity of Gugulethu, Philippi and Manenberg as part of the roll-out of the MyCiTi bus service to connect commuters from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha with Wynberg and Claremont. To date, nearly 100 temporary job opportunities have been created for residents from the surrounding communities. The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, visited the construction site to see the progress to date. Read more below:

The construction work is taking place along Govan Mbeki Road (M9) between the intersection with Heinz Road and just west of NY72 Road.

All-in-all 2,4km of Govan Mbeki Road is being upgraded, and includes:

· improvements to the lanes for general traffic

· a new retaining wall along the Lotus River canal to support the widening of Govan Mbeki Road

· the construction of the dedicated red bus lanes

· a new bridge at the intersection with Duinefontein Road (M10) for the exclusive use of the MyCiTi buses

· the upgrade of the intersection with Duinefontein Road

· 2,4 km of walking and cycling lanes for improved safety of non-motorised users

· the widening of Govan Mbeki Road under the Jakes Gerwel Drive (M7) bridge to accommodate a new walking and cycling lane

· two new pedestrian bridges over the Lotus River Canal that runs parallel to Govan Mbeki Road. One will be demolished and rebuilt at its current location and another will be rebuilt at a new location to align with First Avenue; and

· new signage, landscaping, drainage, road markings and traffic signal improvements once the project is in its final stages

‘This project has been ongoing for a year now, and I am impressed with the progress, despite the heavy rains we have experienced since early July. Apart from the new infrastructure for the MyCiTi bus service, there are multiple benefits to local communities – these are temporary job opportunities, new walking and cycling lanes, as well as the construction of the two pedestrian bridges to allow residents to safely cross the Lotus River Canal.

‘Other great news is that the team will soon commence with the emergency remedial work along Govan Mbeki Road between the intersections with Heinz Road and Duinefontein Road where the road surface has been deteriorating due to the heavy winter rains in particular,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas.

Work is taking place between 07:30 and 17:00 on weekdays, but the lane closures are only effective outside of the peak periods to minimise the impact on traffic. Some preparation work may happen on Saturdays as needed.

The provisional completion date is May 2026, pending any unforeseen delays and challenges.

‘I want to assure road users that the project team is doing all they can to mitigate the impact of the construction work, in particular at the busy intersection with Duinefontein Road during the peak periods. Unfortunately, road works are always inconvenient, and I want to thank the public for their support. Best is to avoid this area if possible, or to factor in additional travelling time.

‘The roll-out of the second phase of the MyCiTi bus service to the metro-south east is a mammoth undertaking. The Urban Mobility Directorate is currently managing a number of major construction projects to implement the dedicated red bus lanes, stations and stops; and improvements to roads and transport facilities to bring scheduled, affordable, safe, and reliable public transport service to over 30 communities. I want to thank our project management teams for their dedication and hard work to keep generations of Capetonians moving in decades to come,’ said Councillor Quintas.

Supplied by: City of Cape Town