If you're driving around Cape Town's southern suburbs in early November, one major junction is about to become a headache. The City of Cape Town is partially closing the busy intersection where Duinefontein Road (M10) meets Govan Mbeki Road (M9) in Phola Park, from 05:00 on Thursday, 5 November until midnight on Friday, 13 November 2026.
The restrictions are tied to construction for MyCiTi Phase 2A, the city's big bus rapid transit expansion. That phase is meant to eventually link Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain with Wynberg and Claremont, and the works at this intersection cover upgrades to roads and bus infrastructure needed for the rollout.
So what actually changes? Southbound traffic on Duinefontein Road will not be able to drive straight through towards Jakes Gerwel Drive. Drivers can only turn right towards Lansdowne or left towards Gugulethu. Northbound, traffic coming from Jakes Gerwel Drive won't be allowed into the intersection at all. If you're on Jakes Gerwel Drive and need the eastbound lanes of Govan Mbeki Road, the city suggests using Heinz Road instead.
Councillor Rob Quintas, the city's Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, has asked the public to avoid the junction entirely where possible, warning that traffic flow across the wider area will be affected. Temporary signage and flag personnel will be on site to guide drivers through, but anyone moving around Phola Park, Gugulethu, Lansdowne and nearby areas should budget extra travel time and plan alternatives.
For visitors, the relevance depends on your plans. This isn't a tourist district, but the M10 and M9 are commuter arteries many travellers use without thinking about it — for instance when driving between Cape Town International Airport, the southern suburbs and the Cape Flats, or heading towards attractions in Wynberg and Constantia. Rideshare and taxi routes may also detour, adding time and cost to trips during this window.
The practical advice for the nine days in question: check your route before setting out, allow a buffer if you have a flight, tour pickup or dinner reservation, and lean on the M3 or other parallel roads where your navigation app suggests them. Local drivers will be adjusting too, so expect heavier volumes on alternative routes at peak hours. Once the closure lifts on 13 November, things should return to normal — with better bus infrastructure as the eventual payoff.
