Cape Town has officially become the sixth most congested city in the world, as revealed by the newly-released 2025 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard.
A general view of traffic at a standstill on the N2 highway on March 24, 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. It is reported that a large group of taxi drivers blockaded the N2 at various points. (Photo by Gallo Images/ER Lombard)
An analysis of traffic conditions across 942 urban areas globally shows that the average driver in the Mother City lost a staggering 96 hours to traffic in 2025, an increase from 94 hours in the prior year, as per report from The South African.
This rise in congestion marks a worrying trend, with Cape Town moving up three places from its previous ranking of ninth in 2024.
The data paints a concerning picture: while cities like London, Paris, and Los Angeles have seen improvements in traffic conditions, Cape Town’s congestion levels are climbing at an alarming rate, with its average morning travel speed into the central business district now sitting at just 11 mph (17 km/h).
This statistic places it alongside famed global hubs like London and Paris, underscoring the city’s escalating traffic woes.
Indeed, only five cities namely Istanbul, Mexico City, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia rank ahead of Cape Town in congestion severity. The INRIX report attributes the rising delays to factors such as population growth, increasing car dependency, and road demand that significantly outstrips road supply.
Cape Town remains the only African city within the global Top 10, thus highlighting not only its local challenges but also broader national infrastructural dilemmas.
Earlier this year, Cape {town} Etc reported on the 2024 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard, showing Cape Town had already positioned itself as the seventh most congested city in the previous year, with commuters losing an average of 94 hours to traffic outpacing even major hub like Los Angeles, which reported 88 hours lost.
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