There are a range of pressures, which together, have created high levels of crime in the Durban Metropolitan Area (DMA). These include poor urban design, high levels of unemployment, capacity problems in the justice system and an 'uncivil' society resulting from South Africa's turbulent political past.

The poor design of many inner city buildings has contributed to the creation of unsafe areas. For example, many buildings, such as the Workshop Shopping Centre and Durban Exhibition Centre, are internally focussed providing blank facades and walls facing the street. This reduces the surveillance from nearby pavements, open spaces and public transport facilities. Neglect and decay of many inner city buildings has also contributed to high levels of crime. In the Point Road area, densely populated high rise apartments, surrounded by narrow side alleys and dead ends, has contributed to comparatively high levels of certain crimes such as robbery, common assault, theft from motor vehicles and burglary.

The shortage of legal employment opportunities in the DMA has inflated crime levels. Some unemployed people participate in illegal activities in order to survive. Others without jobs have time on their hands and can easily be attracted towards the criminal world.

The police services and justice system have a limited staff and finances to deal with crime. There is a lack of capacity to handle criminal cases with the result that some criminals are able to get away with crimes. The courts and public prosecutors are under great pressure from the volume of work which often results in a delay in the rate at which crimes go to court. The perceived inability of the justice system to deal with crime discourages people from reporting crimes and in some cases people take the law into their own hands which often results in more criminal acts being committed.