N2 (South Africa)

The N2 is a national route in South Africa that runs from Cape Town through George, Gqeberha, East London, Mthatha, Port Shepstone and Durban to Ermelo. It is the main highway along the Indian Ocean coast of the country. Its current length of 2255 km makes it the longest numbered route in South Africa.

Prior to 1970, the N2 designation only applied to the route from Cape Town to Durban.

There are plans to realign the N2 national route from Port Shepstone to Mthatha, on a shorter stretch of road (via Port Edward, Lusikisiki and Port St. Johns). The project was initially scheduled for completion in 2024 & it will reduce the length of the route by 85 km. Together with the already-existing N2 from Mthatha to East London, the route will be known as the Wild Coast Toll Route.

Route
Major towns and cities along the route of the N2 include Cape Town, Somerset West, Caledon, Swellendam, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Humansdorp, Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown, Qonce, Bhisho, East London, Mthatha, Kokstad, Port Shepstone, Durban, KwaDukuza, Empangeni, Piet Retief and Ermelo.

Western Cape
Cape Metropole The N2 begins in central Cape Town at the northern end of Buitengracht Street (M62), 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. On the eastern edge of the city centre the two roads split, and the N2 turns south as Nelson Mandela Boulevard (formerly Eastern Boulevard), crossing above the yards and approach tracks of Cape Town railway station.

Leaving the Central Business District (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 as Settler's Way and forms the border between Observatory and Mowbray, intersecting the M4 Main Road, M57 Liesbeek Parkway, M5 Black River Highway, and Raapenberg Road. After leaving the Southern Suburbs, the N2 travels across the Cape Flats 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 in the south and Bellville and Brackenfell in the north). After the R300, the N2 becomes a 4-lane freeway, passing nearby Khayelitsha and Macassar. It enters the Helderberg region where it passes through Somerset West and ceases to be a highway after the R44 intersection, which links the N2 with Stellenbosch and the Winelands. Here it passes through several intersections with traffic lights, which cause frequent congestion. After Somerset West, it bypasses Strand, Gordon's Bay, and Sir Lowry's Pass Village.

Overberg

After Sir Lowry's Pass Village, the N2 climbs Sir Lowry's Pass to enter the Overberg region. It passes near the town of Grabouw on the Hottentots-Holland 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.

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 to Wilderness and on to Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. After Plettenberg Bay, a section of the road is tolled as the Tsitsikamma Toll Route, primarily because of the Bloukrans Bridge (crossing the Bloukrans River). An alternative route (part of the R102) used to run through Nature's Valley but this was closed in 2007 after flood damage. The Bloukrans Bridge marks the border with the Eastern Cape.

Eastern Cape
Sunshine Coast Road

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. It becomes a 4-lane dual carriageway freeway at the Van Stadens Bridge, which marks its entrance into the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. 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 access 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 the M8 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 towards Colchester, adjacent to the Indian Ocean, first passing across the estuarine area of the Swartkops River before passing through Bluewater Bay. After Bluewater Bay, it meets the R335 (which provides access to Motherwell) and bypasses 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 passing through Colchester.

Colchester - Qonce

After Colchester, the N2 leaves the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality and turns north-eastwards, meeting the southern terminus of the N10 (which heads northwards towards Middelburg) and moving away from the coast towards Grahamstown.

After passing around Grahamstown (also known as Makhanda) on a bypass, the N2 passes through the former Ciskei, including Peddie, to enter the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.

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-south-east towards the coast, meeting it at East London.

The N2 becomes a 4-lane dual carriageway road after leaving Qonce, and regains freeway status at the La Rochelle Street intersection in Berlin, just outside East London. It runs past Fort Jackson and the Mdantsane 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 the outlying rural areas situated along the Nahoon River). It then descends into the Nahoon River Valley, meeting the southern terminus of 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/M10 Main Road intersection (Gonubie Interchange), which is also the proposed start of the Wild Coast Toll Road (which is to run for 410 km towards Port Edward ). It then continues as a freeway until shortly after the R102 Brakfontein intersection, after which it leaves the Buffalo City Metro.

Former Transkei

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 and its former capital, Mthatha, where it meets the R61 route (an alternative route to Port Shepstone). 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, and then continuing eastwards on the R61, as part of the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road. After passing Mthatha, the N2 continues north-east through the towns of Qumbu, Mount Frere (KwaBhaca) and Mount Ayliff. Near Kokstad, the N2 climbs Brook's Nek to enter the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

KwaZulu-Natal
Brooks Nek - Port Shepstone

The N2 enters KwaZulu-Natal atop Brooks Nek, after which it bypasses Kokstad to the south and meets the R56 from Matatiele. The N2 and the R56 are co-signed for 43 km eastwards until which the R56 splits from the N2 at Stafford's Post. The N2 then runs east-south-east past the rural towns of Harding and Izingolweni (eZinqoleni), to enter Port Shepstone from the west through its suburb of Marburg, meeting the north-eastern terminus of the R61 highway (an alternative route from Mthatha) at the Oribi Toll Plaza. This interchange with the R61 is to be the eastern end of the N2 Wild Coast Toll Route from East London via Mthatha and Port Edward.

Port Shepstone - Durban (South Coast Highway)

The N2 then turns to the north at the Oribi Toll Plaza to become the South Coast Highway (taking over from the R61), first running as a dual carriageway freeway for 4 km, 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. It passes through the rural areas of Southern KwaZulu-Natal, with the rural towns of Mthwalume, Umzinto and Dududu, and the resort towns of Pennington, Park Rynie and Scottburgh lying to the west and east of the N2, respectively.

eThekwini Metropolitan Area (Durban)

The N2 enters the eThekwini Metropolitan Area 60 km south of Durban as a dual carriageway freeway just north of Scottburgh. It runs past the towns of Umkomaas (eMkhomazi) and Umgababa, before entering the built-up urban area of eThekwini at Kingsburgh and Amanzimtoti. It runs past Isipingo and the old Durban International Airport, before meeting the southern terminus of the M4 freeway at Umlazi; with the M4 providing 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, bypassing the suburbs of Mobeni, 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.

After leaving Chesterville, the N2 meets the N3 highway at the EB Cloete Interchange (locally known as Spaghetti Junction) at Westville. 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 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 ends.

It then runs to the east of Verulam and to the west of eMdloti (formerly Umdloti), passing by the King Shaka International Airport in La Mercy. The airport off-ramp marks the beginning of the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast Toll Road. After the airport, it is tolled at oThongathi (formerly Tongaat) before leaving eThekwini.

North Coast Highway

After eThekwini, the N2 runs toward Mtunzini, passing through Ballito before being tolled again at the Mvoti Toll Plaza before KwaDukuza (formerly Stanger). It meets the R74 near KwaDukuza. 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 and Ulundi to the west. Just after the R34 off-ramp, the N2 ceases to be a dual carriageway and 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 before turning to the north-west and running close to the border of Eswatini, 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 enters as Voortrekker Lane and terminates at a junction with the N11 (De Emigratie Street) in the town centre, just south of the N11's intersection with the N17.

The total length of the road is 2255 km.

Toll Plazas
Toll plazas on the N2 include:

Tsitsikamma Toll Route

 * Tsitsikamma Toll Plaza, near Nature's Valley (includes ramp toll plazas)

South Coast Toll Route

 * Oribi Toll Plaza, Port Shepstone (includes ramp toll plazas)
 * Umtentweni Ramp Toll Plaza, Port Shepstone

North Coast Toll Route

 * King Shaka Ramp Toll Plaza, near King Shaka International Airport
 * oThongathi Toll Plaza, near oThongathi (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 (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 5000 kg.

An alternative route following the Saasveld 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 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.

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 KwaZulu-Natal, 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 20 km outside Grahamstown.

N2 Wild Coast Toll Route (N2WCTR)
There are plans to realign the N2 national route from Port Shepstone to Mthatha, on a shorter stretch of road, and designate the entire stretch from Port Edward through Mthatha to East London as a toll road. It was initially scheduled for completion in 2024 and this new N2 route will take over the entire section of the current R61 route from Port Shepstone to Mthatha, 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 (Oribi Toll Plaza) and extend further north-east through Park Rynie to the Isipingo Interchange, south of Durban. 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 (via the Mtentu Bridge and Msikaba Bridge  ) while the current R61 passes through Flagstaff and Bizana on the 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. There were also initially plans to place two toll plazas on the stretch from East London to Mthatha: the Ngobozi Toll Plaza just north of the Great Kei Bridge and the Candu Toll Plaza just north-east of Idutywa. Plans to toll the section between Mthatha and East London have been cancelled and only the greenfields sections will have tollgates.

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 (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 85 km 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 573 km and the overall route between Durban and Cape Town will be reduced to 1621 km, making the newer N2 the shorter route between Durban and Cape Town. The old N2 route passing through Harding, Kokstad and KwaBhaca would then be designated as the R102.

As of 2021, the road signs on the section of the R61 from Port Shepstone to Port Edward have already been changed to signs indicating the N2, indicating that this road from the Oribi Toll Plaza in Port Shepstone southwards will officially no-longer be designated as the R61. Also, as of 2023, parts of the road in the Eastern Cape are under construction. The Msikaba Bridge is expected to be completed by the end of 2025 while the Mtentu Bridge, after several delays, is expected to be complete by the end of 2027.

Opposition and criticism
South Africa's national road agency, SANRAL, also initially planned to do some work on the existing 100 km section of the N2 highway from Port Shepstone to Durban as part of this project, including installing toll plazas at Park Rynie (midway between Port Shepstone and Durban; just north of the R612 off-ramp) and at Isipingo (in the southern part of Durban; where the Durban Outer Ring Road 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. Those businesses also didn't want any toll plazas found within KwaZulu-Natal to be used to finance the construction of the new greenfields section of road (between Lusikisiki and the C. H. Mitchell Bridge), which is in a different province (Eastern Cape). Several companies in the area, led by Toyota South Africa, took SANRAL to court, and the proposed Isipingo tollgate was cancelled.

The Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) has also expressed issues with the planned road and the Wild Coast region in which the road is to pass through, stating that it would divide the communal farming and grazing lands. They advised SANRAL to reroute the proposed road inland, away from the coastline.