The city's forced closure of some of Durban's most popular music venues is killing the local music industry.
Music fans, musicians and nightclub owners have accused city officials of lashing out at clubs after the recent killing of two bouncers at the Skyybar nightclub in Greyville.
Among the venues that have closed their doors after a recent crackdown include Burn, CatManDu, Taco Zulu and JD's Bar.
Club patrons, musicians and venue owners said lengthy council business licencing procedures have hamstrung the majority of music venues, and will lead to "the end" of Durban's entertainment industry.
Far from being critical of the local music scene and night clubs, city manager Michael Sutcliffe, said he encouraged each eating and entertainment venues to allow local artists to perform on their premises. Despite this, he said clubs would have to follow procedure and not operate without the correct licences.
Asked about the lengthy licence application, Sutcliffe said the city was "looking into" the matter.
Deputy head of Durban Fire and Emergency Services Mark te Water, has confirmed that his department would only order the temporary closure of clubs if they were overcrowded or posed a serious fire risk. In many cases, he said, all activities would stop until a fire escape was unblocked or excess people were ordered from the premises.
The closure of popular music venue club, Burn, on Wednesday night has sparked outrage among patrons and musicians.
The club's owner, Dave Campbell, is aware that he will be arrested if he continues trading over the weekend. The club is one of the few equipped to host live performances on a professional level.
Campbell said it was generally accepted that a business could trade if a licence application was in the pipeline. "Every department knew we did not have our trading licence and none of them had a problem until the events at Skyybar," he said.
He said an application for a license was made in May, and was met with volumes of red tape and further municipal requirements.
"The real issue is we live in a dangerous city; the Skyybar incident has sparked a reaction. Unfortunately now they are looking to clamp down on the entertainment industry and Burn happens to be in the same area. The future of Durban's entertainment industry looks like it is dead and buried," he said.
The local music industry and patrons meanwhile believe Burn's closure will negatively impact on the nurturing of up and coming bands.
Paul Jones, a Durban bass player for bands Lowprofile and Regeneration, said Burn was a melting pot of musical ideas and styles.
"Burn was the only fully equipped venue for alternative music.
It will make it a lot tougher for Durban bands to survive," he said.
His sentiments were shared by drummer for Passenger, Brandon Shore, who said there was "no hope" in Durban for local bands.
Shore said the band would be moving to Britain in pursuit of a career.
"We want to be positive about Durban music but we can't."
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