Durban - eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda announced on Monday that there would be more visible policing at popular spots in Durban and said the metro police would be boosted by 400 new recruits this year.
He was speaking at a prayer held in Florida Road yesterday by the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa in KwaZuluNatal to remember slain hip-hop artist Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, popularly known as AKA.
Forbes and his friend, Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, were shot dead on Friday night outside a Florida Road restaurant.
The ceremony was attended by local artists, including Mthokozisi Khathi, who is known as DJ Tira, and rappers Ntokozo Zakwe and Duncan Mbambo.
Kaunda said that while investigations into the murder were ongoing, the City would work to ensure visible policing was increased in high-traffic entertainment areas.
“We want to ensure visible policing so that when people enjoy themselves they find comfort in that there is safety. This is a tourist city, so we need to guarantee the safety of the citizens and visitors,” Kaunda said.
He added that Forbes’s death was a huge loss to the entertainment industry and law-enforcement authorities were searching for the perpetrators.
“As a city, we are adding more metro police because they are limited in terms of their footprint. This year we will have 400 new officers because we want to give assurance to the people that police are not just seated somewhere doing nothing. There are interventions taking place which will enable us to reduce the level of crime in our city,” added Kaunda.
Khathi said that as entertainment artists, they wanted the city and provincial government to do more about crime. He said the picture portrayed of a dangerous country worked against any tourism efforts.
“Our streets need to be safer, the government needs to do better in terms of making sure that our streets are safe and make sure that those who break the law are found,” Khathi said.
A fan of Forbes at the prayer ceremony said he was devastated by the news of his death.
“I am very sad, it is difficult to accept that ‘AKA’ is no more. I will remember him for his hit song called The World is Yours; that song just spoke to us as his fans to live our lives the way we want, just like how ‘SupaMega’ lived the way he wanted,” Coach Ngcaweni said.