MECs declare war on crime
2001-12-10 20:40
Durban - Three KwaZulu-Natal MEC's have announced a ten-month programme
to reduce crime, restore the good image of the province and attract
diminishing numbers of tourists back.
MEC for economic development and tourism Mike Mabuyakhulu, MEC
for safety for security Nyanga Ngubane and the Mayor of Durban
Unicity Obed Mlaba said the plan followed research by the
KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Authority into how crime was affecting the
tourism industry.
The research found that negative perceptions about growing crime
in the province were influencing national and foreign tourists,
tour operators and day trippers.
"We want to change the perception that beach front is an area of
drugs, prostitution and other serious crime.
"Despite the fact that we are still the country's top domestic
destination we can not allow our reputation to slip a day further,"
Mabuyakhulu said.
Innovations planned included creating a single body with new
terms of reference to deal with the crime situation and a new
framework for the management of the Durban beach front.
The feasibility of setting up municipal courts in the Ethekwini
Unicity area would be investigated as a mechanism to speedily deal
with transgression of by-laws on the Durban beachfront.
Mabuyakhulu said very little emphasis had been placed on making
people aware of the economic importance of tourism in the region.
Workshops to increase awareness of this should target rural
areas, urban communities, security agencies, political stakeholders
and tour operators.
Metro police spokesperson Henry Manzi said people who committed
petty crimes on beaches would be sentenced to community work.
- SAPA