What DA’s eThekwini Mayoral Candidate Said About Marches Has Raised Eyebrows

Durban’s tourism sector could be about to become a political battleground. The Democratic Alliance’s mayoral candidate for eThekwini has reportedly floated the idea of restricting marches and demonstrations that disrupt tourism and business in the city. The idea has already set off a loud debate as parties jockey for position after the 2026 local government elections.

The reasoning is easy to follow. Durban is famous for its beaches, its warm weather and its nightlife, and thousands of people depend on visitors for their paycheques. Hotel staff, restaurant workers, taxi drivers and street vendors all feel it when a major road is blocked or a protest turns a busy district into a standstill. Supporters of the idea say the city cannot afford more bad headlines when it is already fighting to win back investors.

But critics are asking a hard question. South Africans have a constitutional right to protest, and that right is protected under Section 17 of the Constitution. The Regulation of Gatherings Act also sets out how marches are supposed to be organised and policed. A city can manage traffic and keep the peace, but it cannot simply switch off people’s rights because a march is bad for business. Many workers, community groups and activists rely on peaceful demonstrations to be heard, and they are already warning that this kind of plan could silence the people who have the least power.

Details are still thin. The information available does not name the candidate or show the exact words used, so it is best to treat the proposal with some caution until the original statement is confirmed. Still, the message is landing with voters who are tired of potholes, water cuts and long waits for basic services, and who want to know whose side the city is really on.

Social media is already split. Some users are cheering for anything that brings order and protects jobs, while others are calling it an attack on the right to speak out. So here is the question blowing up the comment sections: can Durban really protect its tourism without choking the voices of the people who live there, or is this just a politician picking an easy fight?

https://x.com/ali_naka/status/2119361673236766772?a=9JxUImhhk8USmmRDZok&s=19

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