Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has championed a R4.5bn project to expand the Huguenot Tunnel on the N1, underscoring its potential to bolster the Western Cape’s economy. During an inspection of the 3.9-kilometer tunnel, operated by the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral), Ms. Creecy noted the necessity of the upgrade, citing persistent congestion that impacts key transport routes.

“The Huguenot Tunnel upgrade is overdue,” she remarked, pointing to the tunnel’s existing capacity of only one lane in each direction. Serving an average of 13,000 vehicles daily—and up to 25,000 during peak holidays—the tunnel remains a bottleneck on a crucial stretch of the N1, connecting Cape Town and Saldanha’s ports to inland agricultural regions and carrying traffic from northern areas.

The North Bore tunnel remains an emergency escape route in case of a tunnel fire, but will instead be converted to traffic use. The R4.5 billion price tag is a preliminary estimate from 2023, before the tender process had even begun, and it is likely, given standard practice in ANC-run departments, that this price will be significantly inflated before it has been completed.

Expected within the next three to four years, the expanded tunnel will feature dual lanes in both directions, promising to ease traffic considerably and improve the efficiency of goods and passenger transit. “Most importantly,” Creecy added, “this will facilitate a more streamlined movement of people and goods.” The project, she highlighted, also aims to generate jobs and contracting opportunities, feeding into a broader infrastructure investment strategy championed by the government.

Sanral CEO Reginald Demana announced that the tender for construction would soon be issued, with building set to begin in early 2025. He emphasised the project’s alignment with international safety standards, necessary for addressing both increased traffic demands and long-overdue upgrades in the South Bore, which dates back to the 1980s.

Ms. Creecy contextualised the project within Sanral’s broader infrastructure agenda, aligning with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent call for road investments as critical to South Africa’s economic lifeblood. The Huguenot Tunnel, the longest of its kind in Africa and operational for 36 years, has handled over 125 million vehicles, making this expansion a necessary investmen

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