Durban

Durban, sometimes written in Zulu as eThekwini, captures the dynamic vitality of South Africa. Third most populated city in the KwaZulu-Natal province, Durban ranks behind Johannesburg and Cape Town among the major cities in the nation. Strategically placed in the Natal Bay of the Indian Ocean on South Africa’s east coast, Durban has solidified its ranking as South Africa’s busiest port since its opening as Port Natal. The Umgeni River mouth to the north, the rising hills of the Berea to the west, and the Bluff coastal stretch south characterize the topography of the city.

One of Africa’s biggest metropolitan cities on the Indian Ocean, Durban is the administrative center of the bigger eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, which spans 2,556 square kilometers and has a 4.2 million inhabitants by 2022. Within the city borders, there were 595,061 residents in 2011. Popular year-round, the city boasts a humid subtropical climate with hot, wet summers and pleasant, dry winters.

The past of Durban is as varied and rich as its cultural fabric. Archaeological discoveries from the highlands of the Drakensberg reveal millennia of hunter-gatherer presence. Later colonists from the Nguni people added to the rich history of the region. Around Christmas 1497, Europeans first came upon Durban’s shore when Portuguese adventurer Vasco da Gama called it Natal, Portuguese for Christmas. This started European curiosity about the area. Two English traders from the Cape Colony, Francis Farewell and Henry Fynn, opened a trading station at what was then Port Natal in 1824. Later that year, Zulu king Shaka granted them land around the bay, hence enabling the growth of the city. Named for Sir Benjamin D’Urban, the Cape Colony’s governor in 1835, the community grew to be a borough in 1854. Arriving in Durban around 1860 were indentured servants from British India, then passenger Indians, so enhancing the cultural scene of the town. The fast expanding Natal colony developed into a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910; Durban gained city status in 1935.

One of Durban’s unique qualities is its cultural diversity; thanks in great part to Zulu, Indian, White, and Coloured communities, it has a rich legacy. Durban has always been a popular travel destination in South Africa, well-known for its beautiful beaches and mild climate. Still, the travel business has seen challenges recently. Durban nevertheless boasts some notable attractions including the Golden Mile beachfront, the Botanic Gardens, the Art Gallery and Natural Science Museum at City Hall, the Tudor-style Playhouse Theatre, uShaka Marine World, and the International Convention Centre. With Victorian to modern styles and a significant Art Deco influence on many of its buildings, the architectural scene of the city reflects its rich past.

For the province as well as the nation, Durban has significant financial influence. The metropolitan area brought 9.6% to the national GDP and 59.9% of KwaZulu-Natal’s GDP in 2018. Key sectors fueling the city’s economy are finance, community services, manufacturing, trade, transportation, and tourism. When Durban was selected as one of the host cities for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, for which the great Moses Mabhida Stadium was constructed, its international reputation was significantly improved. Moreover, Durban is the first City of Literature in Africa, therefore attesting to its commitment to literary and cultural growth.