Durban Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! == Crime and safety == Compared to other South African cities, Durban has a high murder rate. Between April 2018 and March 2019, the Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality recorded 1,871 murders, gradually increasing from 1,349 seven years earlier and down from 2,042 in 2009.<ref>[https://issafrica.org/crimehub/maps/municipal-districts Crimes by municipality or district]. Map on the website ''issafrica.org''. Retrieved 2021-03-05.</ref> Criminals usually avoid targeting tourists because they know that the police response will be greater.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Africa/South_Africa/Province_of_KwaZulu_Natal/Durban-2224702/Warnings_or_Dangers-Durban-TG-C-1.html |title=Top Durban, South Africa Warnings and Dangers on VirtualTourist |publisher=Virtualtourist.com |access-date=2015-12-10}}</ref> Heist or theft is a common crime in the city.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/mercury/news/shootout-on-durban-highway-after-jewellery-store-heist-13228228|title=Shootout on Durban highway after jewellery store heist {{!}} The Mercury|first=Khumbuzile|last=Mbuqe|work=IOL|date=11 February 2018|access-date=2018-02-16|language=en}}</ref> Most houses are protected by high walls and wealthier residents are often able to afford greater protection such as electric fencing, private security or gated communities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2017-10-26-wealthy-saved--by-alarm-bells/|title=Wealthy saved by alarm bells|website=TimesLIVE|date=26 October 2017|first=Graee|last=Hosken}}</ref> Crime rates vary widely across the city and most inner suburbs have much lower murder rates than in outlying areas of Ethekwini. Police station precincts recording the lowest murder rates per 100,000 in 2017 were Durban North (7), Mayville (8), Westville (12) and Malvern (12); Kwamashu (76) and Umlazi (69) were some of the most dangerous areas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://issafrica.org/crimehub/maps/police-stations|title=Police crime statistics|website=issafrica.org}}</ref> Other crime comparisons are less valuable due to significant under-reporting especially in outlying areas. There was a period of intense violence beginning in the 1990s, and the Durban area recorded a murder rate of 83 per 100,000 in 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.issafrica.org/pubs/CrimeIndex/01Vol5No1/City.html |title=City crime trends β Nedbank ISS Crime Index vol 5 No 1 |publisher=Issafrica.org |access-date=2015-12-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222134426/https://www.issafrica.org/pubs/CrimeIndex/01Vol5No1/City.html |archive-date=22 December 2015}}</ref> The murder rate dropped rapidly in the 2000s before increasing rapidly throughout the 2010s. Durban is one of the main drug trafficking routes for drugs exiting and entering sub-Saharan Africa. The drug trade has increased significantly over the past 20 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/3436720043269f18b87db845a23ba143/Illegal-drug-trading-on-the-rise-in-Durban-20140503|title=SABC News β Illegal drug trading on the rise in Durban:Wednesday 5 March 2014|author=SABC|work=sabc.co.za|access-date=1 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924093604/http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/3436720043269f18b87db845a23ba143/Illegal-drug-trading-on-the-rise-in-Durban-20140503|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page