Launched: 1999

Funded by: Embassy of the Netherlands

• Implemented by eThekwini Municipality
  
• The Durban Safer City project was established at the request of the South African National Secretariat for Safety and Security. UNHABITAT and the International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC) were asked to help devise a new crime prevention policy, which was adopted by the Council in 2000.
  
• A Safer Cities coordinating unit was established and a local security diagnosis conducted.
  
• In 2003, the new eThekwini Municipality Safety and Crime Prevention Strategy was developed and adopted by council as part of a five-year strategic plan of action.

Development

• The Durban Safer Cities Strategy brings different role-players together in a prevention partnership.
  
• Three pillars of the strategy:
  
  • Effective Policing and Crime Prevention
    
  • Targeted "Social" Crime Prevention
    
  • Crime Prevention through Environmental Design.
    
• Safer Cities Steering Committee of city councillors, public officials, South African Police Services and Business Against Crime members was established to guide project development.
  
• Research Advisory Group established to advise on research, information gathering, analysis and best practices, mainly in the area of "social" crime prevention: violence against women, victim support, youth development, understanding the causes of violence 

Activities

• A Directory of responsible officials and services including station officials, Welfare and Social services and NGOs providing similar services was compiled.
  
• The Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu (INK) areas were declared special Presidential Pilot projects for Urban Renewal. Selection criteria were that the areas had the highest rates of poverty, unemployment and violent crime in the Province.
  
• eThekwini municipality has adopted an Area Based Management approach to focus and improve council delivery. Throughout the city administrative areas have been established to ensure integrated and efficient delivery of services on the local level, such as safety.
  
• The Safer Cities project has worked closely with Community Policing Forums to hold training workshops - at which people were taught local crime prevention strategies.
  
• The Warwick Junction Urban Renewal Project has developed some innovative practices and partnerships. Their expertise has been recognized and their geographic area of operation expanded to include the entire inner city area (iTRUMP).
  
• Urban Improvement Precincts are innovative means of public/private cooperation. UIPs are self-taxing groups of businesses that partner together to provide the services needed for cleaner, safer and more attractive business districts.
  
• The project was reviewed in 2003, streamlined with the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and adopted by council.
  

Contact:
Safer Cities Durban
Lunghisa Manzi
P O Box 96, Durban, 4000
Suite 8, 19th Floor, 75 Winder Street,
Durban, 4000
Tel: 031-337 5500
Fax: 031-337 0172
E-mail: SaferCities@durban.gov.za