South Africa’s next megabridge set to open in 2026
· The South African
South Africa’s longest suspension bridge is edging closer to completion along the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast, with the Msikaba Bridge now expected to open in late 2026.
The bridge forms a critical part of the South African National Roads Agency’s (SANRAL) N2 Wild Coast project, a major infrastructure upgrade aimed at creating a safer and shorter coastal route between East London and KwaZulu-Natal.
A landmark megabridge for the Wild Coast
Stretching 580 metres across the Msikaba Gorge near Lusikisiki, the Msikaba Bridge will be the longest suspension bridge in South Africa once completed.
It will carry the new N2 highway over the Msikaba River, replacing a lengthy inland detour that currently forces motorists to travel via Kokstad.
The new crossing is expected to significantly reduce travel times, improve road safety and open up access to remote parts of the Wild Coast that have historically been difficult to reach.
The bridge is supported by two 127-metre-tall inverted Y-shaped pylons, which anchor the suspension cables carrying the roadway across the gorge. Its design allows it to span the deep valley without the need for multiple supports, limiting environmental disruption in the area.
SANRAL has previously described the bridge as a key engineering feature of the N2 Wild Coast route, designed to handle both heavy freight traffic and growing tourism volumes.
Part of a bigger route upgrade
The Msikaba Bridge is one of two megabridges being built as part of the N2 Wild Coast project. The other, the Mtentu Bridge, will eventually become the tallest bridge in Africa at 223 metres, but is only expected to be completed closer to 2027.
For now, motorists continue to rely on the inland diversion, but with the Msikaba Bridge nearing its final stages, a major change to travel along the Wild Coast is finally in sight.