A business owner on Cuckoo Lane, off Khuzimpi Shezi Road (Williams Road), is out of solutions. Hundreds of homeless and alleged drug users have overtaken the business precinct, posing safety and health hazards.

On Monday mornings, homeless people are seen sleeping and wandering the streets, with makeshift shelters covering the pavements on either side. The stench of urine is unbearable, and human waste and piles of rubbish are visible.

Michael Bell, owner of an engineering products company, said the homeless use Cuckoo Lane as their toilet at night, and during the day they pace up and down, and this, he said, has become a threat to his customers.

“Some customers have complained about cars being broken into. I realise that most of them are drug users, with the evidence of used needles. To sustain their habit, they resort to criminal acts, which impact our customers,” Bell shared.

He said the problem worsened after the last removal from Moore Road. Having been in the precinct since 2007 when the area was “fantastic”, he has seen the deterioration literally from his doorstep following Covid. “The area has become a nightmare.”

Also read: Moore Road sports fresh look – homeless invade nearby spots

“I sympathise with the homeless who have fallen on hard times in the midst of unemployment and dwindling economy.”
He began contacting the City last year when there were about 30 homeless people, and efforts were made to clean up the area, until the latest invasion weeks ago.

“I feel for business owners, residents and the staff. It’s not just about safety and aesthetic concerns, but airborne diseases too.”
According to the last communication on March 13, between Bell and the Metro Police (seen by Berea Mail), they “note your complaint, our members will do patrols to check for your complaint”.

Janus Horn of Homeland Security is concerned, and while he feels for the homeless, he is certain that the homeless must move from the Umbilo area.
“I don’t know what the solution is, despite all the intervention that different parties, and ourselves try, the problem remains. It’s sad if you think that there is no plan. The drug-dependent homeless survive trough stealing copper pipes and breaking into cars in order to get the next fix. The business community on Williams Road do not deserve this,” Horn said.

“As private security we try to chase them away, our clients on the Glenwood / Umbilo business district feel unsafe to drive or walk. We will continue to assist Metro where we can but this is a difficult one,” he added.

Also read: Moore Road clean-up praised amid calls for long-term solutions

Horn echoed Bell’s sentiment about relocating the homeless to Albert Park on a short-term basis while a permanent solution is sought.
Bell conceded, “I am already losing business as customers feel it is unsafe to come to my premises. I don’t know what the long-term solution would be. In the meantime, maybe the City can remove the homeless to Albert Park where there is toilet facilities and water, while they figure out what the solution is.”

As winter approaches, and mornings get darker, Bell fears the worst may follow, and staying vigilant may never be enough, but he prays that time never comes.

@caxtonlocalmedia Filmed by Caxton Durban Group Editor Corrinne Louw. What we saw on Williams Road was difficult to witness – hundreds of people now living on the streets in desperate conditions after moving from Moore Road. This footage isn’t perfect. But sometimes the first step is simply to bear witness. #bereamail #durban #homelessness ♬ original sound – caxtonlocalmedia

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