Urgent call to clear tent city on Che Guevara Road amid growing concerns

AN urgent request for the immediate removal of a large homeless encampment, colloquially referred to as a "tent city", was made during an eThekwini Executive Committee (Exco) meeting held on Wednesday. Situated along Che Guevara Road, formerly known as Moore Road, this encampment near Albert Park has become a pressing issue for local motorists and businesses.

DA Exco member Councillor Andre Beetge was vocal during the meeting, demanding swift action from municipal officials to tackle the challenges posed by the hundreds of homeless individuals who have encroached onto traffic lanes beneath the M4 highway. He stressed the critical nature of the location, which serves as a vital connection between the Port of Durban and the city centre via Margaret Mncadi Road. Beetge also highlighted similar encampments under Connaught Bridge in Durban North.

“They are causing chaos. They are not moving,” Beetge said. “We have moved them from inside Albert Park, but they have not departed from the verges and pavements outside of the park. They make motorists uneasy by knocking on their windows. They have deterred customers away from the Umbilo area. The businesses have reached out to us for help.”

Deputy Mayor Zandile Myeni echoed the concerns raised by Beetge, acknowledging the severity of the situation, which she described as “bad”. Despite ongoing efforts from the Durban metro police and the Safer Cities division, Myeni recognised a pressing need for a comprehensive policy to address homelessness in the area.

eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba further elaborated on the issue, revealing that dispersing the homeless often results in them simply relocating to nearby areas. “When it happens, the problem falls on the municipality,” Xaba commented. “We cannot wait for other government departments to intervene. We have to do something.” He pointed to underlying societal challenges, citing family breakdown as a contributing factor to the homelessness crisis.

Dumisani Bhengu, the director of the eThekwini Security Management Directorate, informed the committee that homelessness is not only a problem in Albert Park but also prevalent along the beachfront dunes and in Durban North near Virginia. Bhengu identified drug addiction as a significant underlying issue affecting the homeless population around Albert Park, even as police consistently monitor the area.

Thabani Mthethwa, another DA Exco member, called for immediate measures to disperse the homeless individuals occupying the traffic lanes. “Something must be done between this meeting and the next,” Mthethwa insisted. “We cannot have them as they stand with shacks in the middle of the road. Disperse them from there. We are concerned about their human rights, but what about the rights of the innocent law-abiding citizens? They also need to be defended.”