By Tumelo Khotha
Thulisile Ngema, a tuck shop owner and breadwinner based in KwaMashu near Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, has suffered massive losses due to crime in the past two years, a constant threat that haunts business owners and SMEs in the province.
In one incident, thieves broke into her home, where she runs her store, and stole stock, including cigarettes, airtime, cash, and a bakkie. The car was later discovered dumped by the uMhlangane River with no tyres and battery.
She said the businesspeople like her are running the shops in fear for their lives and requested protection from the government in the form of police visibility in their areas, day and night.
She called for the arrest of the perpetrators who commit crimes and walk free in the communities as if they
have done nothing.
Crime remains one of the major challenges facing KwaZulu-Natal businesses ahead of the upcoming local government elections set for November. This is despite the latest police crime statistics showing a slight but notable decline in business-related crimes.
In the latest SAPS reporting year (April 2025 – March 2026), business-related property crimes in KwaZulu-Natal followed a general national downward trend, showing notable drops in both physical break-ins and non-residential armed robberies. There were 6,519 cases of business burglaries reported, representing a 10.8% decrease compared to the previous year.
SAPS crime statistics also noted that violent business robberies declined in line with national trio crimes, alongside an overall reduction in property crimes across 80 out of 184 police precincts in the province.
Linda Mdletshe, a victim of crime in the province, described the thieves as dangerous gangs whom the business owners cannot fight against without the assistance of the police.
Mdletshe requested police visibility, day and night, to ensure they are safe both inside and outside their homes.
“We pray that the upcoming local government elections could bring us change in the form of protection
wherever we are hustling to make ends meet,” said Mdletshe.
Abigail Nkosi, an independent political analyst, agreed with the SMMEs that the visibility of the police is poor in
rural areas compared to urban areas.
“Crime is rising in some locations, while the police are not doing enough to curb it. Hence, the SMMEs experience it the hard way to succeed in business,” she said.
She said tourism plays a significant role in the province’s economy, adding that visitors should not be worried about safety when visiting the beaches. She, however, gives credit to the owners who keep pushing towards success even though it’s tough, citing that the government should help them reach their destinations. She adds that the SMMEs fight poverty and keep the provincial economy stable.
Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s CEO Palesa Phili said the year 2026 has been a challenging one for businesses, particularly SMMEs.
“While we began on a positive note, external pressure such as global tariffs, rising service delivery costs, fuel price increases linked to the war, and civil protests have compounded the difficulties,” Phili said.
She highlighted key aspects such as logistics.
“We have seen progress in port operations, yet congestion leads to high transport costs,” she said.
She further explained that despite some progress in tourism, crime and grime remain persistent obstacles to
their tourism sector.
In terms of crime, she points out that the civil unrest and anti-illegal immigration protests impact stability.
“Looting and violence cause ripple effects across the economy and erode business confidence, as witnessed in
the latest Durban Business Confidence index results,” she said.
She concluded that regarding municipal support, rising tariffs and water interruptions place immense strain on
smaller enterprises.
“While larger businesses may absorb these shocks, SMMEs are at risk of closure,” she said.
