History

Chapman's Peak Drive was the brain child of Sir Frederic de Waal, the first administrator of the Cape Province. De Waal Drive, in Cape Town, was named after him.

Work on the road began in 1915 after engineers, geologists and surveyors determined the best route along the soft band of shale between the mountain’s granite base and the overlying sandstone. This stretch was blasted into the mountain side and is a masterpiece of road construction. The route was formally opened in 1922.

Rock falls were a constant threat and a series of unfortunate events lead to the closing of Chapman’s Peak Drive in January 2000.

While closed, this spectacular roadway denied the traveler some of the best scenery in the Cape Peninsula. Its closure had a severe impact on the economy of the South Peninsula and had a serious impact on the productivity of all who did business and/or lived in the area.

Due to its sensitive location within the Cape Peninsula National Park and the provisions of Sections 23 and 24 of the National Environmental Management Act, No 107 of 1998, an integrated environmental approach to the rehabilitation and upgrading of Chapman's Peak Drive was warranted.

This turnkey project was carried out by the Chapman’s Peak Construction Joint Venture. This joint-venture R145 million project was overseen by Entilini Concessions, the special-purpose company established by the consortium of Concor Holdings, Haw & Inglis and Marib Holdings. The project has been undertaken with full participation of the local authorities and communities.

The reopening of Chapman’s Peak Drive is the culmination of one of the most innovative road engineering projects ever to be undertaken in South Africa. The upgrading (or rather reconstruction) of Chapman’s Peak Drive is indeed an engineering feat that will for many years be regarded as one of the top road engineering projects in the country.

Chapman’s Peak Drive was re-opened as a toll road in December 2003.