The alarming rise of drug use on Durban's Che Guevara Road
Substance users and vagrants prepare drugs for consumption in plain sight of motorists and the public along Che Guevara Road (formerly Moore Road) under the M4 southern freeway in Durban.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers
A Durban motorist spoke of her daily nightmare ride through vagrants and substance users along Che Guevara Road under the M4 southern freeway in Durban.
The motorist, who wished to remain anonymous, takes the M4 off-ramp to the Umbilo area, to drop off her husband at work. She said in the short period of time yielding to look out for traffic on the right of her she witnesses the vagrancy problem getting worse.
She said that the traffic signals have been removed at the off-ramp from the M4, and in her opinion, this was done to prevent motorists from stopping and being surrounded by vagrants.
Municipal officials have been battling to contain the problem for more than a decade with the vagrants and substance users moving to different spots in the vicinity after clean-up operations.
“I had the most emotionally traumatic experience coming through Moore Road. There were two young white guys sitting among the other hundreds of vagrants and drug users. They were actually injecting themselves in the jugular (vein) at 7:15 am. It was so sad. I was totally freaked about that. We witness people defecating on the pavement as well,” she said.
The motorist said she was considering taking the long route on the M4 to Anton Lembede Street formerly known as Smith Street but this would add to her journey time and fuel consumption.
“The road is there for motorists and not residents or vagrants. If there was a vehicle collision then I would use an alternative route. Why should I be inconvenienced because eThekwini municipality could not sort itself out. This is ridiculous. Why should ratepayers be inconvenienced because eThekwini is incompetent?” she said.
Doran Subiah, Chairman of Umbilo Business Association (UBA), has been vocal about the deterioration at the entrance to the business district. He said the situation at the M4 Bridge represents an acute humanitarian disaster and a profound public safety failure.
“The resulting social decay, including tragic loss of life and rampant criminal activity, has made the area a zone of fear and neglect. This crisis has rendered critical road infrastructure impassable and unsafe, actively discouraging business, investment, and safe residency in Umbilo,” he stated.
Subiah suggested the formation of a dedicated, multi-departmental task force—including representatives from the National Department of Home Affairs—to execute an actionable plan.
Homeless people and drug addicts occupy the pavement along Che Guevara Road, formerly Moore Road, underneath the M4 southern freeway in Durban. The off-ramp from the M4 freeway is the left.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo
This includes:
- Immediate Law Enforcement & Immigration Intervention
- Humanitarian Relocation for Citizens & Legal Residents:
- Clear Pathway & Infrastructure Rehabilitation
- Enhanced Governance & Accountability
- Sustained Law Enforcement Priority
The Durban Metro police spokesperson Boyce Zungu said they were fighting a losing battle, as vagrants returned each time they were removed.
“We have opted to regularly patrol the area to ensure it is safe for residents,” he added.
Zungu said officers were immediately dispatched to deal with incidents whenever complaints were received.
The Glenwood Bulwer Ratepayers and Residents Association NPC (GBRRA) chairperson Keyuren Maharaj said that in June 2025, the GBRRA met with Safer Cities and formally offered assistance, including community-level support and cooperation where appropriate. Seven months later, they are still awaiting feedback or engagement on its implementation.
In a recent statement, the municipality acknowledged that the homeless community includes individuals struggling with addiction, unemployed foreign nationals, undocumented individuals, and people who have lost their homes.
The municipality also announced that Phase 1 of the Sakhithemba Shelter in Illovo, south of Durban, is expected to have a maximum occupancy capacity of 800 upon completion. The shelter will be managed by a non-governmental organisation.
Currently, the municipality operates two safe sleeping spaces in Greyville and North Beach. The city also runs a Harm Reduction Centre at Bellhaven Memorial Hall in Greyville, which offers drug management programmes.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za