The eThekwini Municipality is winning its war on crime and grime in the Durban’s Central Business District precinct.
Through a strategic partnership between Ensure Ubuntu, a private security, cleaning, and urban management firm, the municipality has made significant strides in dusting off its previous reputation of being dirty and crime-riddled.
The city has since been able to deliver tangible improvements in safety, cleanliness, and social upliftment in Durban’s inner city, according to Kyle Connolly, Chief Executive Officer of Ensure Ubuntu.
Connolly was interviewed on the eThekwini Matters Podcast, a platform managed by the entity, where city officials, departmental heads, and local experts discuss municipal matters, on Wednesday.
He said statistics indicated that there was a 28% reduction in visible serious crime since his team memberrs began patrolling the Durban CBD 14 months ago.
Image: Ensure Ubuntu
Connolly said their 24/7 quicker response times resulted in lower crime rates, and his team had responded to more than 100 incidents and arrested 290 criminals in collaboration with Durban Metro Police, Durban Central, Point and Umbilo SAPS.
Connolly said that throughout the country, Urban Improvement Precincts (UIP) had sprung up where private security and cleaning and greening initiatives were implemented in specific areas to enhance the municipal services that were already in existence.
He said that when their contract with the municipality began, the Durban CBD had a reputation for not being safe or clean and was overrun by drug dealers.
“If an ambassador reports that somebody’s phone was stolen, we either assist in the recovery of the phone or at least assist the citizen who is in distress. We have also identified areas that needed a clean-up and we’ve worked alongside the municipality,” he said.
Connolly said through their operations they have managed to collect over 841 tons of litter and waste.
“Approximately 80% of the arrests were made in our first three months. Now things have become more peaceful. People and criminals noticed our presence. The bad guys need to be careful,” he said.
Connolly said plans were in the pipeline to stage anti-litter campaigns, add more bins in the city, and provide mobile toilets, especially for public transport passengers arriving in the city after long journeys.
Connolly said his team had Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras fitted in strategic areas to identify vehicles used in the commission of crimes. His team also has real-time body cameras monitored from a control centre.
“We have a team of ambassadors on foot in the city, backed up by tactical vehicles, who were approachable and there to help,” he said.
Nkululeko Mkhize, from the City’s Economic Development Directorate, said the collaborative approach was not only enhancing safety and cleanliness in the city centre but is was also contributing to economic revitalisation in the area by creating a more attractive and secure environment for investment, trade, and small business growth.
