A senior ANC eThekwini councillor’s remark concerning by-law enforcement and its deterrence to tourists in the festive season raised eyebrows on Tuesday.

The municipality’s Executive Committee (Exco) was discussing festive season plans, tourism, public realm management, traffic, and safety and how to guarantee a safe, enjoyable, and successful festive period on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Councilllor Nkosenhle Madlala, an ANC Exco member, congratulated Durban Metro Police for removing vagrants living on the sand dunes along the South Beach.

Madlala also touched on:

• suggested extending operating hours at ablution facilities and a 24-hour shift system during peak season.

• backing a review of the midnight cut-off on festive events.

• promoting family-friendly initiatives such as Christmas Carols and the New Year’s Eve Street Bash.

• Proposing designated zones for all-night shopping and entertainment, drawing inspiration from international examples such as Barcelona’s Las Ramblas.

Madlala also remarked that the city was losing income because tourists were going to places where socialising and nightlife is allowed. The remarks he made thereafter were deemed questionable by the DA. 

“There is a trend I see these days where they are showing how many people are arrested for traffic violations, and even saying the profession of the people for example, a doctor and a lawyer. As much as that is good in terms of road safety, we are a city that wants to attract tourists.

“There needs to be a balance of that kind of law enforcement and the fact that we want everyone not in our city to think that they are missing out and that they must be in our city. No one wants to go to a place where they know for sure that they will be arrested. And once they are arrested, they are going to be paraded in this manner…”

Andre Beetge, DA eThekwini Exco member, said he was appalled by the shocking conduct of two ANC councillors who he said suggested that national laws and municipal bylaws should be suspended to allow people to “have a good time” over the festive season.

“Such irresponsible remarks from individuals entrusted with governance are unacceptable and undermine the foundations of law and order in the city. They argued that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport’s anti-drunk driving operations “dampen” festivities and may deter visitors,” he said.

Beetge said that another councillor questioned the relevance of trading hours and noise control bylaws during the festive season suggesting that these laws be relaxed or ignored to stimulate tourism.

“The DA strongly rejected these reckless suggestions. Bylaws exist to protect all residents including workers and families from excessive noise, alcohol-fuelled disturbances, and unsafe conditions that typically escalate during the festive season. The DA reaffirmed that leaders who create and endorse bylaws have a duty to uphold them, not promote their abandonment,” he said.

Madlala labelled Beetge’s remarks as a deliberate misrepresentation and the DA attempted to sensationalise a routine presentation, adding that Beetge’s remarks misrepresent the spirit of the meeting and trivialise the complex considerations that go into responsible city governance.

“I was stressing the need to balance the enforcement of bylaws with the urgent task of attracting and retaining tourists — particularly as Durban continues to recover from COVID-19, the 2021 unrest, flooding, and a climate of public pessimism,” Madlala said.

“These contributions were made in good faith, with the clear intention of strengthening the City’s appeal and ensuring that residents and visitors alike enjoy a safe, vibrant, and welcoming festive season,” he added.

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

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