The Safer Cities Unit of the Ethekwini Municipality in partnership with Imagine Durban, has come up with a novel way of creating awareness on safety and security in communities.

The perceptions of citizens highlighted in the Imagine Durban “postcard process” was that more needs to be done about crime eradication in the City. The Imagine Durban Plan which mobilized a range of stakeholders to be part of drafting key strategies has not just been drafted. An entire section has been dedicated to creating a Safer City. It spells out what government, business, civil society and ordinary individuals must to create the safer city that we all imagine.

What is quite interesting is that it is more than just a long term plan. If focuses on action right now. One of the demonstration projects is the Safety Signage Project which aims at sending out safety messages to communities.

Three messages being sent out are:

1. Criminals be warned – you are being watched
2. Real Men Don’t Abuse  
3. Buying stolen goods is Crime

Mr Martin Xaba, Head of  the Safer Cities Unit highlighted that this project is a very good demonstration tool that clearly and visibly demonstrates that the Municipality is doing something about the challenge of crime, to mobilize communities to actively participate in community safety programmes, to identify areas where crime is prevalent and to report crime.

Mr Bheki Mkhize, Deputy City Manager: Safety and Security added “the intention is to raise awareness to citizens so they become more vigilant to their surroundings, subsequently preventing them from becoming possible victims of crime. It also serves as a warning to perpetrators that they are being watched”.

As the project was implemented in partnership with the South African Police Service (SAPS) all messages promote the SAPS number (10111) as well as the Ethekwini Emergency number (031 3610000), and encourages people to report crime. Messages are in both English and Zulu and strategically positioned in the following areas with in the Municipality: Umlazi, Wentworth, Chatsworth/Shallcross, Lamontville, Clermont, Marianhill, Ntuzuma, Kwadabeka, Amaoti, Inanda, Kwa Mashu, Ngolosi, Nyuswa, Kwa Ximba, Illovu, Umgababa, Glenwood, Chesterville, Umbilo, Sydenham, These areas were identified by the Safer Cities Team working closely with the local Police and the local ward safety committee structures.

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