Durban - The eThekwini Mayor has vowed to renew efforts tackle rampant crime in the Durban city centre after meeting with the SAPS and Durban Metro Police top brass on Wednesday.
Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda’s office said he held a high-level meeting on Wednesday morning with Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and Head of Metro Police, Commissioner Steve Middleton where an “integrated 5-Pillar Plan to intensify the Municipality’s crime combating strategy in the Central Business District” was discussed.
Kaunda said the plan will also assist in synergising operations of the South African Police Service and Metro Police to achieve a coordinated approach that they hope will nip crime in the bud-in the inner-city.
“We can’t have a city that is lawless, and it is the Municipality’s legislative responsibility to create a conducive environment for business to thrive in the CBD,” Kaunda said.
“The 5-Pillar Plan will not only include an increased police visibility in the CBD but sustained and joint operations that will take place every day starting from Thursday, 03 June. These will be aimed at reducing the alarming levels of crime. I believe that this approach will also contribute extensively towards the economic growth of the City. We warn criminals that our CBD will never be their playground anymore” he said.
According to Kaunda the command structure that has been formed will also leverage on the first of its kind Fusion Centre that will maximise on technology to fight crime in the CBD more effectively.
“The good thing about the fusion centre is that it allows for integration of stakeholders from various disciplines and will provide an improved response to crime hotspots. We are confident that these bolstered efforts will yield the intended results in creating a crime free CBD,” said Kaunda.
Over the past decade, several businesses have fled the Durban CBD for Umhlanga where they have set up head offices due to a decay in the city that has been amplified by crime and the non-adherence to bylaws.
In addition to street crimes that include muggings, bag and weave snatchings, there has been an explosion in road side hawkers such as hair braiding services that set up operations outside established businesses.
IOL