Umbilo Business Association demands immediate solutions for Durban's homelessness issue

The Umbilo Business Association (UBA) claimed that the area was drowning in neglect and that the eThekwini Municipality needed a vision to deal with the homeless people under the M4 southern freeway bridge in Durban. 

Doran Subiah, chairperson of UBA, stated that Umbilo, once a proud and bustling industrial and residential heartbeat of Durban, is on its knees.

He said that more than 80 affiliated business owners can no longer stand by while the suburb is systematically degraded by what he called municipal failure, rampant crime, and a pervasive sense of abandonment. 

“We are raising our voices not just in complaint, but with a powerful, tangible vision for a future that can lift Umbilo, and by extension, eThekwini, into a beacon of prosperity and culture. For years, our pleas have been documented in the media, yet they echo in a vacuum of inaction,” he said.

Subiah said the homelessness issue in Umbilo has reached a critical point, which is a problem that cannot be swept under the carpet. 

“It is a complex social ill that requires partnership, rehabilitation centres, and support, none of which are forthcoming. While we have immense compassion for those living on the streets, the lack of a coherent, compassionate strategy from the eThekwini Municipality has created an unsustainable and unsafe environment for all.” 

The UBA has repeatedly sought engagement with the municipality, offering partnership and solutions, only to be met with a labyrinth of bureaucracy, buck-passing, and silence. 

Subiah said this is not merely a lack of cooperation; it is an abdication of fundamental responsibility.

“The hard-working businesses and residents of Umbilo demand better. Umbilo is not a lost cause; it is a sleeping giant. Our vision is to transform Umbilo into a vibrant Port Precinct and a hub for cultural tourism. The association is ready to contribute, work, and build. We call on the eThekwini Municipality to break its cycle of neglect, to root out corruption, and to finally cooperate with us.” 

Councillor Andre Beetge, DA eThekwini EXCO member, said that his committee members conducted an oversight visit to Che Cuevara Road, formerly Moore Road, as an effort to witness first-hand the escalating challenges posed by growing levels of homelessness in the inner city. 

“The visit confirmed the urgent need for decisive intervention, as conditions in the area reflect a deepening humanitarian and urban management crisis that the eThekwini Municipality has repeatedly failed to address.” 

Beetge said the situation in Umbilo and the surrounding precincts, including Albert Park, highlights years of ineffective planning and neglect.

He explained that the increasing number of people forced to live on the streets continues to undermine the city’s image, disrupt local economic activity, and expose vulnerable individuals to unsafe and undignified living conditions.

“The DA notes that the provincial Department of Public Works and Infrastructure recently donated several buildings to the city. These properties present a valuable opportunity to offer immediate relief by converting them into safe, temporary, or transitional accommodation. Their integration into a broader homelessness strategy is essential and must not be delayed,” Beetge said. 

During an eThekwini Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday, the municipality said the construction of the Sakhithemba shelter for homeless people in Illovo was at an advanced stage.

The R13.6 million shelter will offer safe accommodation, skills development, job opportunities, and access to social services, including professional social workers, a library, and learnership programs for the homeless. The home could accommodate approximately 800 people.

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za