Freedom Adventure Park’s Somerset Mall opening is still on hold after a container carrying the final fitments was offloaded in Durban instead of Cape Town.
Freedom Adventure Park was meant to open at Somerset Mall on 27 August 2026. Almost two weeks later, the attraction remains closed because the final fitments have not yet reached the venue.
I called Freedom Adventure Park for an update on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, and spoke to Jonathan Goosen about the delay. Later, the company also confirmed the situation in a social media update.
The container carrying the final fitments for Somerset West was supposed to be offloaded in Cape Town, but ended up in Durban instead. It has been sitting in Durban Port for about two weeks after the initially planned opening date, with Freedom Adventure Park pushing to have it moved to Cape Town.
In its update, the company said it was “at the mercy of Transnet” and would confirm a new opening date once the container arrives.
The delay is coming at a cost
The delay is also creating costs for the business.
Freedom Adventure Park is already paying rent on its Somerset Mall premises and has staff employment commitments in place, despite the venue not yet being able to open.
Jonathan explained that the container could be transported by road from Durban to Cape Town, but that would come at an additional cost. Doing so would also mean paying storage costs for the period it has been sitting in Durban.
The Somerset West venue is part of the new food court and entertainment wing at Somerset Mall, where most of the new offering is now open. Bunka Ramen Bar, Rib Republic, Kokiyo and Smasht. have all opened, while Steers, Fishaways and Debonairs Pizza have relocated from Entrance 1 into the new food court and are also operating.
Around 35 people had also been recruited for the Freedom Adventure Park team ahead of its planned opening.
What is still to come
The attraction itself remains as planned, with South Africa’s first UV glow-in-the-dark, space-themed interactive nine-hole putt-putt course, as well as the AERO Strike Arena and Multiball Interactive Wall.
There is still no new opening date. Freedom Adventure Park’s latest update says it will lock in the date once the container reaches Cape Town.
For the business, what began as a delayed opening has become a costly wait involving premises that are already leased, staff who have already been recruited and equipment that was sent to the wrong port.
For Somerset Mall and the Helderberg, meanwhile, the new food court and entertainment wing is steadily filling up, but one of the most anticipated attractions, if not the most anticipated attraction, is still waiting for the final pieces to arrive.
For now, we wait.
UPDATE
With the opening now confirmed, I was also able to step inside Freedom Adventure Park ahead of the launch and see the finished Somerset Mall attraction for myself. Read the first look here.
