Amadiba Residents Take Petition to Parliament Over N2 Wild Coast Route

The Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) has taken its long-standing opposition to the current N2 Wild Coast Highway route directly to Parliament, urging the Portfolio Committee on Transport to consider moving the final stretch of the road away from the coastal villages of Amadiba.

On Thursday, 16 October 2025, members of the Portfolio Committee on Transport met representatives of the Amadiba community, who formally presented a petition signed by 79 representatives from 14 villages, including two traditional leaders. The petition calls for two key interventions — a midterm review of the N2 project and a shift of the final alignment inland, away from the ecologically sensitive Wild Coast.

What the Community is Asking For

According to the petition, residents want Parliament to ensure that the N2 alignment from north of the Mtentu mega bridge to the KwaZulu-Natal border follows an inland “middle route,” which they argue would serve local development better while reducing displacement and environmental damage.

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The Amadiba Crisis Committee emphasised that the current coastal route would cut through 101 arable fields, force the relocation of 83 homesteads, and disturb graves and farmlands. In contrast, an inland route would have less than a third of the social and economic impact.

The community further warned that the 20-year-old route design now conflicts with the 2020 Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan, which protects the Pondoland Centre of Endemism—an area known for its rare flora and sensitive ecosystems. They also raised concerns about ribbon development and unregulated sand mining that could follow road construction along the coast.

Petition Gains Support at Local Imbizo

Following the parliamentary presentation, an imbizo held on Friday, 17 October at Xolobeni Komkhulu drew 130 residents from nine villages. The meeting overwhelmingly endorsed the ACC’s report-back on the Parliamentary session, expressing strong community backing for the inland alternative.

Call for a Midterm Review and Independent Audit

The petition also questions the escalating cost of the N2 Wild Coast Road. According to ACC, the project’s budget has grown from R8 billion in 2011 to R28 billion in 2025, with SANRAL’s official reports showing inconsistent figures over the years.

In its submission, ACC noted that Transport Minister Dr. Blade Nzimande once cited a R9.5 billion budget in 2019, while SANRAL’s 2024 Annual Report listed R23.5 billion, and its 2025 report reverted to R20 billion—a discrepancy that raises questions about transparency.

The ACC argues that an inland alternative would be cheaper to construct, and urges Parliament to order a midterm project review and an independent audit of SANRAL’s management of the N2 Wild Coast project.

Next Steps

The Portfolio Committee will now hear responses from SANRAL and the Minister of Transport, and plans to visit the Amadiba area at the end of October.

The full Petition to Parliament and related documents, including SANRAL’s responses to previous memoranda, are publicly accessible through the Amadiba Crisis Committee’s communication channels.

Table: Key Facts About the Amadiba N2 Petition