Durban’s Golden Mile awakes early with joggers, cyclists and surfers seeking the tranquillity of the beach before facing the toil of a new day.
And as the day continues, staff from city offices and students join the many Addington Hospital nurses who spend their lunch hour walking and chatting, or sitting eating their packed lunches as they gaze out on to the azure ocean.
Dusk brings a fresh wave of walkers and joggers, pounding the pavement to release the stress of the day.
During the school holidays, the beachfront, from uShaka to Suncoast Casino, was buzzing with holidaymakers. Business was booming for traders, from the humble rickshaw pullers to the restaurants, that enjoyed a busy trade.
But despite the World Cup heritage of a revamped Golden Mile that most residents and visitors describe as “amazing”, concerns about crime and security still linger in the minds of many.
And some mourn a loss of character and the dearth of outlets selling a “cheap” refreshment which they say disappeared with the closure of small shops and the iconic 101 and Excel restaurants.
It was with these concerns in mind that we prepared to walk the Golden Mile at lunch this week, carrying only our camera, cellphones, R70 and our car keys.
Our aim – to get a sense of perception on safety, check police presence and find out how the simple refreshments of a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich and a cappuccino compared with coffee shops and restaurants elsewhere in the city.
While most restaurant managers said they did not have a problem with crime or security on the beachfront, even those open late at night, like Moyo, Steers and Joe Kools, not all patrons were convinced crime had disappeared.
“The revamp is lovely,” said Siphosethu Ndzobole, a student who lives on North Beach. “It’s looking good, but the street children are still a problem because when you are jogging after work, you don’t feel safe in some areas.
“They should have kept the beach activities they had during the World Cup,” she said. Ndzobole said she would like to see events such as volleyball and beach soccer as well as the return of the Mr Price Pro event that moved to Ballito amid controversy a few years ago.
Her friend, Romeo Jele of Stanger, said he felt the character of the beachfront had been lost.
“Durban beachfront is not like it used to be. They have not created the atmosphere that makes you feel you are in a coastal place. It’s not complete. I would have thought that because they were interested in hosting the Olympics, they would have done more,” Jele said.
The good is juxtaposed with the bad at South Beach – panoramic sea views and apartment blocks, interspersed with derelict buildings such as the KwaZulu-Natal Children’s Hospital and the old nurses’ home. And just around the block in Mahatma Gandhi (Point) Road, the raw reality of Durban lies thinly veiled by the veneer of the 2010 Soccer World Cup and its neatly paved promenade.
The issue of safety was raised during two incidents on the day of our visit.
The first was an attempted break-in to a 4X4 on South Beach, which greeted us on arrival, complete with a car guard chasing and hitting the alleged suspect, a teenage street child.
Apart from screaming to the enraged car guard to stop, we immediately called the police, who arrived promptly and arrested the alleged thief.
The second incident attracted our attention when we noticed an elderly couple and their son, Paul Sandford, who is in the tourism industry, speaking to a policewoman who was patrolling in a van near the paddling pools.
“I just had a guy trying to grab something off my mother. My mom and dad are from New Zealand and have not been here for a long time and now everything is going pear-shaped,” Sandford said.
He said a man had tried to jostle his mother, looking for a bag to snatch, but he had managed to ward off her attacker.
Apart from crime, he was concerned about the number of brand new empty buildings “to let” on the beachfront.
“It seems that with the revamp, they have taken away the nice things that people had which were reasonably priced, like the old XL and 101, and they have put up these huge buildings and are probably asking for huge rentals. I feel they have taken the character away and are trying to out-price Durbanites. They will probably have to close them down, but we as ratepayers are still paying for it,” Sandford said.
Suddenly, our memory of the little strip of tiny shops, one of them manned by a burly middle-aged continental type, selling candy-floss, ice cream and popcorn on South Beach was revived. Not to forget the old home of Capital Radio and Sand Pebbles nightclub.
“There used to be energy on the beachfront during the week with people walking and jogging, but now it is deserted. The demographics have changed and people are not coming here any more. They go to Ballito, Amanzimtoti and Warner Beach,” Sandford said.
“The toilets have improved and they are clean,” said Sandford. “Let’s just hope they don’t have to start locking them up and putting razor wire around them.”
However, Capetonian restaurateur Alan Ranson said he felt safe strolling on the beach with his family, holidaying here to escape the bitter winter weather in the Mother City. “I think it is a lot better than it was years ago but they still have a lot of work to do,” Ranson said.
Business management student Arshaad Hadum, of Chatsworth, said the beachfront was still a “vibrant place to be in peak time. It’s peaceful here and it’s energetic. It is safe because there are a lot of security and police patrols”.
One gripe, though, was the price of refreshments and the lack of outlets on the long stretch from the last eatery at uShaka to the Wimpy on North Beach.
“Towards uShaka it is a bit expensive. I normally buy from the café across the road (beyond North Beach),” Hadum said.
Addington nurse Colleen Kisten said she felt relatively safe on the beachfront.
“I usually come out here for lunch. I feel safe, although there are a few beggars now and then,” Kisten said.
Her husband, Rajan, said the revamp had created wider spaces for children to play, but the “biggest downfall” was that there were insufficient toilets.
Student nurse Kassandra Govender said the beachfront was “really beautiful and much better to walk on”.
Cailyn Ross-Adams, who lives on the beachfront, said she felt safe walking along the promenade.
Anke Brkovic said the beach was safe during her mid-morning speed-walks. But cleanliness, the lack of dustbins and benches was a problem. “I even saw a nappy on the beach the other day,” she said.
Metro police spokesman Eugene Msomi said police presence on the beachfront had been increased with the deployment of a unit that had been based permanently on the beachfront since the World Cup. He said there had been a decrease in crime since the unit deployed patrols on horseback, foot and in vans.
“The main crimes and robberies were committed by the street kids and the only way to deal with it was to be proactive and put police out there. When the street kids see a lot of police, they can’t operate and have moved away from the beachfront to areas like Sydenham. The guys standing on the streets and at robots with the black bags used to rule the beachfront. We have a campaign to keep on chasing them and unfortunately, when we arrest them, the legal system is not harsh with them,” Msomi said.
He said the children did not want to go to places of safety because they were making money on the streets. - The Independent on Saturday