eThekwini Municipality is expanding weekly operations to restore Durban’s inner-city public spaces, targeting illegal structures, dumping and neglected areas while improving safety and cleanliness.
The latest operation focused on King Dinuzulu Park, where a multi-disciplinary municipal team removed illegal structures and accumulated waste, trimmed trees to improve visibility and fumigated the area.
The intervention followed safety concerns raised by residents and businesses, with the municipality saying the park has now been restored for public use.
A similar operation was carried out at The Workshop precinct, where teams removed illegal dumping, flushed drains, trimmed trees and swept surrounding streets.
The interventions form part of a shift towards sustained weekly maintenance of Durban’s public spaces rather than once-off clean-up campaigns.
Director of Supply Side and Area-Based Operations Linda Mbonambi said neglected open spaces can have consequences for surrounding communities and businesses.
“Open spaces that fall into disrepair get invaded, and the disruption that follows spills over onto surrounding businesses—in some cases to the point where those businesses cannot trade,” Mbonambi said.
“Restoring these spaces is not only about cleanliness and safety, but also about protecting economic activity and rebuilding business confidence.”
The municipality believes maintaining public spaces can contribute to improving the inner-city environment while supporting businesses operating in affected precincts.
“We are committed to restoring these spaces to their proper use. This forms part of a broader goal of ensuring the inner city restores a culture of preservation and attracts investment,” Mbonambi said.
The city plans to continue working with precinct users and property owners to coordinate safety, cleanliness and infrastructure maintenance while protecting property values and preventing urban decay.
The multi-disciplinary operations will continue weekly and expand to additional public spaces across Durban’s inner city as part of efforts to create a cleaner, safer and more liveable environment.
