Decades-old businesses in Durban's Central Business District (CBD) are eagerly awaiting the city's revival as the eThekwini Municipality moves to establish a dedicated entity to restore its economic potential. The proposed Inner-City Development Company aims to accelerate regeneration by improving service delivery, attracting investment, and creating a more vibrant urban hub. However, business owners who have survived for decades in the CBD said they have already endured years of decline.
Yunus Kamroodeen, whose family owns Safey Bazaar, a sportswear and footwear store on Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street, said the business has been trading since 1958. He noted that the CBD has deteriorated, with unkempt roads and pavements, unresolved infrastructure problems, crime, and congestion. Kamroodeen said the decline has resulted in many local businesses leaving the CBD, while others have closed. Despite this, his family has opted to remain, hoping for change.
Kamroodeen and other business owners cited poor municipal services as a major concern. A section of a side road across from Safey Bazaar had been dug up for over a month to repair a burst water pipe, which is still open and leaking water. Refuse is scattered on roads across the Durban CBD, and bin bags are often torn open by vagrants, leaving an eyesore and a stench. Business owners believe that restoring basic municipal services is crucial to reviving the inner city.
Naiem Hasshaum, whose family owns an electronics store on Denis Hurley Street, said crime is a significant concern for business owners in the CBD. People are afraid to come out due to the high crime rate, and there is not much police visibility. Billy Patel, owner of RD Patel and Sons, a 49-year-old business on Bertha Mkhize Street, echoed similar sentiments. He said the family's business serves a specialized market and cannot be easily relocated.
Patel noted that the service delivery in the CBD has deteriorated significantly since its inception. The streets used to be clean, and refuse was rarely seen outside shops or on the roads. However, refuse is now only collected three days a week, leading to an accumulation of trash. Despite the challenges, Patel said he is hopeful for change following the local government elections.
Another long-standing hardware store owner, who wished to remain anonymous, said his family has spent decades operating businesses in the CBD. He remembers when the city centre was cleaner and safer, with municipal workers washing the streets in the evenings. However, the drainage system is not properly maintained, and the safety concerns remain. He believes restoring the CBD's economy requires a broad approach and that it won't take one election and promises by a party to see a change.
Senzelwe Mzila, the city's marketing and communications spokesperson, said the municipality acknowledges the concerns raised by CBD businesses. The municipality has invested approximately R127.9 million to rehabilitate 13 strategic roads in and around the inner city, upgrading about 65 lane-kilometers, and improvements to stormwater drainage and pedestrian safety. Weekly multi-disciplinary operations target illegal dumping, and metro police have intensified intelligence-led operations.
Key points
- The proposed Inner-City Development Company aims to accelerate regeneration by improving service delivery, attracting investment, and creating a more vibrant urban hub.
- Business owners cite poor municipal services, crime, and congestion as major concerns affecting their operations.
- The municipality has invested R127.9 million to rehabilitate strategic roads and improve stormwater drainage and pedestrian safety.
