By Levy Masiteng
More than 40 soldiers and 150 police and law enforcement officers had to be deployed to break up a massive street party involving more than 1,000 people in Durban’s Davenport Road on Saturday night.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF), supported by four military vehicles, was called in alongside SAPS and Metro Police officers after crowds spilled onto about a 200 metre stretch of Helen Joseph Road, still known among locals as Davenport Road, following the MTN8 football final at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The extraordinary deployment has raised questions about how an entertainment district in the heart of a residential neighbourhood could require military assistance to restore order, despite authorities reportedly having “intelligence” about the party days in advance.
In separate statements on Sunday, the Umbilo Community Policing Forum (CPF) and Ward 33 councillor Fran Kristopher accused authorities of failing to address “persistent problems” involving public drinking, excessive noise, illegal parking and disorderly behaviour in the area.
The CPF said more than 1,000 people gathered in the road, while Kristopher reported that students appeared to make up a significant proportion of the crowd, with alcohol being consumed from vehicle boots and cooler boxes.
Residents that Inside Politics spoke to, who asked not to be named, said “every weekend” was the same, with “drunk students” and other revellers shouting, swearing, playing music until the early hours, vomiting in the streets and breaking bottles on the road, leaving a mess that had to be tackled by city workers and residents on Sunday mornings.
Early morning visitors to the Woolworths on the road often report the stench of urine and having to walk through rubbish, vomit, and sometimes faeces, with at least half a dozen saying they now avoid the store altogether as a result.
The area is part of an Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP), which are being set up in suburbs across the city by property owners to deal with municipal neglect.
Authorities warned of gathering
The CPF said information available to it indicated that SAPS and Metro Police intelligence had identified the likelihood of the gathering at least a week beforehand.
Kristopher said police and Metro Police had earlier conducted a coordinated roadblock aimed at preventing drinking and driving, but crowds subsequently gathered in the streets.
Umbilo CPF chairperson Sicelo Sibiya said what happened exposed the absence of a sustainable plan to manage the entertainment precinct, which has long been the subject of complaints from residents and small businesses.
“This is not the first time we have experienced this kind of disorder in Davenport Road, and unless something changes, it will not be the last. We cannot continue relying on large-scale emergency deployments to deal with situations that could potentially have been prevented through better planning and consistent enforcement.”
Sibiya, however, commended Umbilo SAPS Station Commander Colonel K. Khumalo for coordinating the police response “under difficult circumstances”.
“Without her efforts, we believe the consequences could have been far worse,” he said.
Councillor demands zero tolerance
Kristopher, whose ward includes Umbilo, Glenwood and Bulwer, said: “When a precinct requires a deployment of this magnitude to restore order, serious questions must be asked about the effectiveness of existing enforcement measures, the management of large gatherings and the protection of residents who are forced to live with the consequences.”
“Davenport cannot become a lawless entertainment zone where disorder is tolerated, residents are intimidated by noise and disturbances, and enforcement only becomes visible when a situation spirals out of control.”
She said residents had repeatedly complained about excessive noise, public drinking, traffic congestion, illegal parking and disorderly conduct.
The disturbances had also affected businesses operating legally in the area, she said.
“The people who live in Davenport and the surrounding areas have a right to peace, safety and security in their own homes.
“They should not have to tolerate excessive noise late into the night, struggle with traffic congestion, fear damage to their property or repeatedly contact law enforcement without receiving an effective response.”
“Let me be clear: this is not about targeting students. It is about holding everyone accountable for their conduct, regardless of age, status or affiliation. Anyone who breaks the law must face the appropriate consequences,” she said.
Liquor licences under scrutiny
The CPF has written to senior eThekwini Municipality officials, including the City Manager and Head of Metro Police, demanding an investigation into the latest party and the role of businesses that may have facilitated or contributed to it.
It wants the municipality to suspend relevant business licences where legally justified and to refer implicated liquor licence holders to the KZN Liquor Authority for investigation and possible suspension.
The forum has also demanded enforcement of municipal by-laws governing noise, public drinking, building and fire safety, health standards and licensing requirements.
It wants dedicated Metro Police units assigned to entertainment precincts, particularly over weekends, along with stronger partnerships between law enforcement agencies and private security companies.
Sibiya said the CPF recognised the economic importance of Davenport Road’s restaurants, bars and entertainment establishments, but their operations could not come at the expense of the rights of residents and other small businesses.
“The Davenport precinct needs a dedicated and properly coordinated management strategy. We want businesses to succeed, but residents must also be able to live peacefully and safely in their own neighbourhoods.
“These objectives are not mutually exclusive. What is missing is a workable plan that brings together the city, law enforcement, businesses and the community,” he said.
City given seven days to respond
The CPF has requested a multidisciplinary meeting involving SAPS, Metro Police, municipal departments, businesses and community representatives within seven days.
It has also demanded a written response from the municipality within seven days, setting out immediate interventions, and a draft precinct management plan within 30 days.
The forum wants a dedicated municipal official appointed to oversee precinct management, with clear responsibilities and measurable enforcement targets.
Kristopher separately called for sustained police deployments during high-risk periods, stronger drunk-driving operations, strict enforcement against unlawful liquor sales and illegal parking, and an official report explaining the circumstances surrounding Saturday night’s deployment.
She also demanded accountability from municipal departments and enforcement agencies over their handling of previous complaints from residents.
“Zero tolerance must mean consistent, lawful and impartial enforcement — not simply a show of force after a situation has escalated,” she said.
Sibiya said responsibility for preventing similar incidents should not be placed solely on officers responding to emergencies.
“We are not interested in pointing fingers at the police officers who were on the ground. We appreciate their efforts. What we want is a proactive approach that prevents these situations from developing into crises in the first place,” he said.
“Ultimately, we want a safe environment for everyone, where businesses can thrive, visitors can enjoy themselves and the rights of local residents are respected.”
eThekwini Municipality’s response to questions from Inside Politics will be published once received.
INSIDE POLITICS
