Once a bustling nightlife hotspot, Florida Road in Durban is undergoing a metamorphosis, evolving into a vibrant, safe, and family-friendly community hub where local businesses are working together with the Florida Road Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) to breathe new life into the area.
Vanessa Knight, the UIP manager, said she loved seeing the road come back to life with the tenants taking it upon themselves to find ways to promote the road with the support of the UIP.
She cited successful events that have drawn families, like last year’s inaugural Halloween celebration, where more than 600 locals joined in trick-or-treating festivities. Alongside community gatherings, plans are underway for an outdoor movie night on Valentine’s Day and the 1st Thursday 031 Markets, which cater to all age groups.
Knight said the tenants fought for assistance from the eThekwini Municipality, and they now work closely with the City’s tourism and economic development units, which has made a huge difference.
“We have regular meetings to come up with ideas, brainstorm, and then make it happen,” she said.
Looking towards the future, Knight revealed plans to further expand the UIP to surrounding areas, enhance security with the addition of surveillance cameras, and a commitment for further community inclusion.
“Since I walked onto Florida Road six months ago, I have been met with overwhelming support from tenants, local law enforcement, and the Urban Precincts board, ”she stated.
In the shadow of the tragic murders of popular figures Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes and Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane in 2023 and other isolated incidents, Knight reassured the public of enhanced safety measures.
Knight said the Metro Police and SAPS have taken a personal interest in ensuring everyone’s safety, adding that she feels safer in Florida Road now than in many other places.
She said the CPF as well as Ensure Security have also played an important role. “I am looking forward to the next six months as that vision is brought to life.”
She noted that when opportunistic crime occurs, they “rally the troops and go after them.”
Local business owners have also played a crucial role in this resurgence.
David Hwangwa, group general manager of Bean Bag Jazz Lounge, Le Pizzeria 24, and Zai restaurant, noted that the success of Zai led to the opening of additional establishments nearby, culminating in the creation of “The Zai Precinct.”
Hwangwa said the jazz lounge was opened together with Le Pizzeria 24 on November 15, 2023, to complete what they call The Zai Precinct, with all three businesses located in close proximity to each other.
He said the aim is to cultivate a hospitality and tourism area that caters to both locals and visitors seeking premium experiences.
He said the group’s long-term goal was creating The Zai Precinct, with a hospitality and tourism area in one place offering the best premium services that people want.
“Bean Bag was such a historic and iconic venue in Durban, and once we got access to the venue, our first thought was ‘Let us bring Bean Bag back but make it better, fancier, and accommodative to everyone and give the new generation that was not there before, a chance to create new memories,” he said.
Hwangwa said the group are big advocates of bringing tourists back to Durban and also focusing on attracting locals, which they have successfully achieved. He said reviving Florida Road is essential to boost tourism and enrich the local economy.
Co-owner of Santosa Coffee situated at the top of Florida Road, Naushaad Osman, said they opened the business in March 2023, in what he regards as one of the busiest streets and most cosmopolitan areas in Durban.
Osman stated that his venture aims to inspire peace and contentment, particularly in the wake of recent turmoil like Covid, looting and the floods.
“As KZN, we've been through more than the rest of the country, and the idea was to bring something different to Florida Road,” he said.
He said one of their initiatives to bring back books and reading is a bookshelf where patrons are able to borrow books. Santosa also started the Introverts Happy Hour, where people come to order drinks and mingle, then read their books silently for an hour, he said.
Osman agrees with Hwangwa that the AKA shooting was an isolated incident compared to other areas in eThekwini. “Business has picked up, and we've seen that Florida Road has changed from mostly nightclubs and a party atmosphere to being very family-oriented.”
For example, he said in October businesses in the road held a trick-or-treat Halloween event where families, including children, parents and grandparents, dressed in costumes and visited the various businesses to collect treats.
“There were over 1,000 people walking the whole of Florida Road, and more than anything else, it was nice to see the community come together and support this initiative.”
“We saw people genuinely happy, and that was a big thing for us to see how Florida Road has changed into this family sort of vibe now, rather than just that partying nightlife vibe,” said Osman.
Osman added that the cleaning up of places like Gordon Road Park has given businesses an avenue to do things in those spaces to bring the community back. ”Florida Road was residential and became businesses, but the businesses need the community to survive, so it's almost like a 360 in terms of different initiatives bringing about a sense of community.”
