Durban metro police arrested a woman for dealing in drugs at the notorious M4 Southern Freeway bridge at Che Guevara Road, formerly Moore Road, on Friday.
Image: eThekwini Metro Police
With the anticipated opening of the Sakhithemba Homeless Shelter in November 2026, the Durban Metro Police Service arrested a woman for dealing in drugs at the notorious M4 Southern Freeway bridge at Che Guevara Road on Friday.
Municipal teams cleared the makeshift drug encampment that had encroached on the road leading to the Durban Port, CBD, and Umbilo business district.
Police reported that Mandrax tablets, heroin, and cash were found in her possession. Additional items linked to drug use and distribution, including syringes, safe cookers, saline washes, and alcohol swabs, were also seized during the arrest.
She was charged at the Umbilo SAPS and will appear in court on Monday.
According to a source, the municipality claimed that these were homeless people, but residents knew that these were drug addicts.
A metro police report stated: “This arrest forms part of a broader enforcement effort to dismantle the drug-related activities that had taken root under the bridge, where individuals had established an informal settlement, reducing Moore Road from four lanes to two, creating safety concerns for motorists and pedestrians.”
At a recent Ethekwini Executive Committee (Exco) meeting, city officials received a report on the progress being made on the construction of the homeless shelter in Illovo, south of Durban.
The project was envisioned to be a prototype facility for potential rollout across eThekwini. Once complete in November, it is expected to house 1,200 beds to address the city-wide homeless population.
eThekwini Deputy Mayor Zandile Myeni said the shelter is not the only project the municipality has to address homelessness.
Mayor Cyril Xaba said the municipality was working on reintegrating homeless people with their families and communities.
He was aware of the current situation, where the group from Che Guevara Road has been moved around, and some have disappeared into the suburbs, where they have become a problem.
“Law enforcement alone is not going to help us deliver them to the shelter. They must walk into the shelter because they must believe it offers them a second chance. We are not building a prison. We need to secure their cooperation and help them recover,” Xaba said.
Andre Beetge, DA eThekwini Exco member, said the Durban CBD is the main centre of the economy and should be protected against crime and grime.
“We should be winning them away from the drug lords, who are making huge profits. We need to deal with the market where stolen goods are sold. The cost of losing the city to crime lords and drug lords far outweighs the money that we will spend on the shelter,” Beetge said.
Mdu Nkosi, an IFP Exco member, called for a proper profiling method for the homeless.
“The implementation plan for the centre gives us an idea of where we are heading to deal with this problem,” he said.
Nkosenhle Madlala, ANC Exco member, stated that the city has found innovative ways to address the problem, but these also come with challenges. He said ongoing consultations will be held with the Illovo community regarding the shelter.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za