Durban - More than a hundred knives were confiscated from dangerous criminals during police raids in the South Beach area of Durban.
A team from the Durban Metro police based at the Boscombe Terrace police station conduct three operational raids per day in the South Beach and Point area said Ebrahim Vadachia, chairperson of the Urban Improvements Precincts (UIP).
“Stop and searches are conducted on random people in known crime hot spots. We have seen an influx of homeless people with some criminal elements among them. It is scary when you think what criminals might be carrying in other precincts,” Vadachia said.
In three weeks Metro police and the UIP found kitchen knives, blades without handles, sharpended screw drivers, scissors, hacksaws, switch blades and replica toy guns.
The UIP also covers a portion of the city centre and Rivertown near uShaka beach.
Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad the Durban Metro police spokesperson said bylaw transgressions are be enforced daily. He said people were using all sorts of weapons in fights and the robbery of the general public.
Vadachia said with the use of a fingerprint scanner linked to the police database over 389 people were arrested for serious crimes.
“We want more support from the South African Police and the eThekwini Municipality. We want towork with people that want to bring about change. We want to make the city safe for tourists," Vadachia said.
According to the eThekwini Municipality website a UIP is aimed at establishing a local management structure for specific strategic precincts in which property owners and investors participate.
The UIP is aimed at improving specifically the living environment for residents and the operating infrastructure for businesses.