Battered and bruised: The malaise of a good old town

Opinion|Published 11 months ago

A picture from the book Twenty-four Views of Durban: The Playground of South Africa. Photographer Terry Haywood, could not get the same position from which to take the ‘old’ picture. He then went to the 15th floor of the Elangeni and took the new photograph on the right. A useful landmark in both pictures is the Jewish Club, which is just about in the centre of both pictures. Picture: Pamele Gorzellok

I KNOW that the word “malaise” is normally used in the context of people and that Durban is a city, not a town.

However, to me Durban is my town. It’s where I was created and to me it has personality, or should I say it had personality. Durban is a shadow of its former self; hence I say it has a malaise which is a feeling of discomfort or lack of well-being. Simply put, Durban is ill.

Social media is replete with groups recalling the “good ole days” of this once resplendent city. The members long for the former city where one could walk the streets safely. Let me add, walk the clean streets of the city.

Durban is still a popular tourist destination, which boasts numerous attractions. For us who have lived here all our lives, we can see clearly the underbelly of the city and it is far from attractive. While I am discussing Durban, I am fully aware that similar conditions affect the city in which you live. Simply put, Durban is a microcosm of our country.

What’s my gripe? Well, I would say that the main one is that I grew up in Victoria Street in Central Durban and today I can’t even walk through that street lest I end up going back home in just my underwear. Not a good thought, much worse, an unpleasant sight.

These days I reside in one of the previously sought after parts of the city. It’s sad to see the degradation of the beachfront. For example, outside the block of flats in which I live is an electricity box. It also serves as an unofficial lavatory. With load shedding these days, I wonder for which purpose it serves more. Load shedding definitely takes on a new meaning in my block.

A picture from the book Twenty-four Views of Durban: The Playground of South Africa. Photographer Terry Haywood, could not get the same position from which to take the ‘old’ picture. He then went to the 15th floor of the Elangeni and took the new photograph on the right. A useful landmark in both pictures is the Jewish Club, which is just about in the centre of both pictures.

Across the road is a municipal library bordered by an unofficial park. Usually strewn with litter, these days it is neat and tidy as municipal workers clean up every morning. It’s a shock to the system, but hold on: Oh yes, it’s election time and the charm offensive is in full throttle. Talking about throttle: It is what I would love to do to some males who wander into the park and, in full public view, urinate against a tree. I’d love to get a peashooter with a telescopic lens. Just saying.

The beachfront boasts a state-of-the-art promenade that is 8km long and stretches from North Pier to Blue Lagoon Park or as is popularly known, Lugz. I’m not a messenger of doom, but I like saying things as they are. No holds barred.

The promenade, as is much of the beachfront, is reasonably safe and has a good police presence. However, one has to be constantly alert to the opportunistic thieves who attack from the blind side. Also, there is the plethora of whoonga addicts, who have been known to ruthlessly attack tourists and other unsuspecting victims. The attack is done in split seconds, but the ordeal lingers forever for the victims. Interestingly, whoonga is described in Google as a South African “drug cocktail”.

A very unflattering fact!

The beach area has satellite police stations and the nearby Point police station as well as a metro police station in North Beach. As I write this column, our sister newspaper has just reported online that a wooden structure surrounding a toilet next to the now closed Durban Funworld amusement park has allegedly been turned into a drug den by vagrants. Inside and outside the toilet were discarded syringes used by drug addicts. So what is the furore about?

Simply that the structure is barely a few metres from the beach satellite police station. Granted the men in blue can’t be everywhere at once, but this is taking place “right under their noses”. Pardon me for the unfortunate use of drug parlance to describe the oversight. Businesses on the beach strip are struggling and many have closed down.

The police force is short staffed and is seriously fighting a losing battle against crime. It does not help that Durban is beleaguered by an influx of foreigners seeking a new life for themselves and their families and see this as an “oasis”.

All the citizenry of Durban ask of them is to respect the by-laws of the city. We ask the same of every resident of this metropolis to take the initiative and be pro-active by being responsible and respectful.

Yes, Durban is battered and bruised and a shadow of its glory days. I believe that if we each do our part we will restore it to what it was and it will rise like the proverbial “Phoenix”.

In this column I have not picked on race, nationality, creed or religion. However, if the cap fits, clamp it firmly down on your head and get out of my town.

And yes, I know my detractors are champing at the bit to inform me that Durban is now called eThekwini Municipality, but hey I am old school and proudly so.

DURBAN ROCKS! Roll on the changes. Be part of the Rennaissance!

Ravi Govender is a former POST sub-editor and radio presenter. He is a published author, a freelance editor and film producer in training. He can be contacted at: ravijohngovender@gmail.com

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