Residents of Bergvliet have called for a review of the traffic plans associated with the proposed Tokai school project. The Bergvliet Voluntary Association (BVA) held a general meeting to discuss concerns regarding the planned construction of the Tokai school in the community.
The residents of Bergvliet independently paid for a technical traffic assessment of the proposed Tokai school, which raised new questions about the capacity of adjacent roads to handle the flow of over 1100 students who will arrive and depart from the school.
The conducted assessment questioned whether the traffic modeling reflects the actual operating mode of the school, what happened to additional traffic counts conducted in June, and whether the proposed accessibility via Raskin and Leiden roads was adequately evaluated.
These issues were discussed at a public meeting held on September 15th at the Bergvliet sports association, attended by numerous residents and BVA members.
BVA urgently calls on the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to resume work on the Tokai school Interim Steering Committee to clarify the situation regarding the proposed school development and to consider all concerns.
The proposed school is planned to be located on a 3.8-hectare piece of land owned by the provincial government, situated on Raskin Road. It is expected to accommodate over 1100 students across approximately 30 classrooms, and will also include a sports field and a school hall.
Prior to the release of the school development plans, traffic issues were one of the main concerns related to this project.
According to BVA, the steering committee was established as a platform for structured interaction between community representatives, the City, and WCED as the project progressed. However, the association reported that the committee had not held meetings, despite an agreement for monthly sessions to discuss the broader impact of WCED's rapid school construction program and school admission policies.
Concerns over traffic assessment
At the last public meeting, BVA discussed the City's Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) and shared details of an independent, community-funded technical review. This review identified several issues that, in BVA's view, must be transparently addressed by WCED and the City, and where appropriate, through the steering committee.
The questions raised include the precise alignment of traffic models with the proposed operational model of the school, the status of additional traffic counts conducted in June 2026, and the adequate evaluation of the proposed access points from Raskin and Leiden roads to serve incoming school traffic.
Concerns about the proposed school were raised last year as well, particularly during the heritage project's public participation process. Leiden Road, one of the narrow residential streets, is intended to serve as the main access route to the proposed Tokai school.
City and WCED response
Rob Quintas, a member of the City's mayoral committee for urban mobility, stated that the City's role is legally defined since the proposed development is a Western Cape Government project. He noted that the site has existing rights and complies with applicable regulations. Therefore, the submitted TIA was intended to address localized improvements and internal transport provisions related to the development.
Quintas clarified that any further technical reviews or engagement regarding the TIA should be directed to the Transport Engineer appointed by the Western Cape Government who prepared this assessment. He also stated that the City's Directorate of Urban Mobility was not involved in any steering committee concerning the Bergvliet project. He added that any questions regarding the meetings mentioned by BVA should be directed to the officials or parties that convened these meetings, as well as the developer.
WCED representative, Brona Hammond, stated that the department remains committed to constructive engagement with stakeholders and the wider community throughout the project implementation. She emphasized that the Department actively engaged during the planning phase and will continue to provide updates on project milestones and opportunities for participation as needed.
Hammond reported that the steering committee will be resumed after WCED makes an official approval decision.
WCED finalizes remaining planning
Regarding the future of the proposed Tokai school, Hammond stated that WCED is finalizing the remaining planning and procurement processes for the project. She explained that the start date of construction can only be confirmed after these processes are completed and a contractor is appointed. Further information will be provided as it becomes available.
BVA stressed that they do not question the need for additional schools, but rather seek clarity on whether the proposed school was adequately assessed given its planned scale and location. The association stated: 'We are not asking if Cape Town needs more schools. We are asking if this specific school, in its scale and on this site, has been adequately assessed, and whether community representatives appointed to the steering committee are given meaningful opportunities to engage with information and decisions affecting the communities they represent.'