The murder of hip-hop star Kiernan “AKA” Forbes outside a Florida Road, Durban, restaurant earlier this year cast a shadow on the safety of patrons frequenting the popular culinary and entertainment area.
A month after Forbes and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane were shot dead outside Wish restaurant in February, footage of a woman being held up at a coffee shop 800m away went viral.
Reports of petty crime have also increased, according to local crime fighters.
Now the Florida Road Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP), an NPO set up chiefly to deal with the crime and grime, has stepped up the presence of private security in a bid to “restore public confidence that Florida Road is a destination of choice”.
Florida Road UIP precinct manager Andrew Fynn said apart from a private security firm providing a 24-hour patrol vehicle and a night foot patrol officer, last month “marked the official deployment of Florida Road UIP's new upgraded security vehicle and grade A+ armed guard”.
“The additional security guard will be on duty for the night shift from Thursday to Sunday each week. This endeavour supplements efforts to ensure safety and security for users.
“We were saddened by the shooting in Florida Road earlier this year. It was a devastating day for the Florida Road community and the UIP assisted the police where we could, urging residents and visitors to remain calm while the investigation was under way,” said Fynn.
“The UIP management team is constantly responding to Florida Road’s evolving needs. The fundamentals of managing crime and grime will always be our top priority and remain the foundation of our mission to ensure a safe, clean and green Florida Road.”
The UIP was pleased to see Florida Road abuzz “with locals and international visitors enjoying the vibrancy and variety of offerings off the back of the Durban July” last weekend.
National police commissioner Gen Fanie Masemola recently told media police should be given space to investigate the shooting and they know who they are looking for.
Wish shut its doors in April after a severe downturn in business following the killings.
Lungelo Zulu, head of the Berea community policing forum (CPF), which includes the Florida Road precinct, said crime had affected the area in recent months.
“Within the station area the crime situation is not that bad compared with other police stations.
“We have particular crimes which are well-managed by SAPS, the CPF, security companies and businesses in the area. To zoom in on Florida Road specifically, crime is affecting the area.”
Zulu said a common crime was “phone pinching, where the guys will jump from a car, steal your phone while you're eating at a restaurant and drive off”.
“We have had quite a number of those reported, but there is a plan to address this.
“You have a car or two hijacked in a month. There's also break-ins into vehicles, with items such as laptops taken. But it's nothing that is uncontrollable, it can be managed.
Florida Road is a busy and popular district. The AKA incident, which is really an anomaly and not something that is prevalent in the area, did create an unsavoury situation
— Lungelo Zulu, head of the Berea community policing forum
“Florida Road is a busy and popular district. The AKA incident, which is really an anomaly and not something that is prevalent in the area, did create an unsavoury situation.”
Zulu believes the murders dented the image of Florida Road.
“Florida Road is popular with youngsters, there is a sense that parents are no longer as comfortable with letting their children go there.
“When you look at the impact, you don't look at it one or two months after the shooting, but over time you start to pick up a pattern which shows there has been a drop.”
He said the beefing up of security should not be deemed “a dire crime situation happening”.
“However, people need to feel safe. The beefing up of security will bring more calm to people's minds when they see more security.
“It's part of the psychology in getting people to a point of comfort.
“Over and above that it also decreases the chances of people driving by in cars and stealing cellphones from patrons frequenting the area.”
Zulu said the CPF wants the satellite metro police office to have the same operating times as restaurants with liquor licences.
“What is the point of having the office there if it closes at about 10pm and there is still activity on the road until 2am? People would feel safer.”
A resident who lives close to Florida Road and did not want to be named, said she has not been there in months.
“I don't feel safe there anymore, especially after the AKA killing. It has made me wary. Maybe I will return when I feel safe,” she said.
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