GENERAL
INFORMATION | MAP | CLIMATE
| GEOGRAPHY | LANGUAGE | CURRENCY
| BANKING | HEALTH | SECURITY/SAFETY
| TRANSPORTATION | TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
| LINKS
GENERAL INFORMATION
 .
Durban, situated in the province
of KwaZulu-Natal, is a cosmopolitan city with a hospitality infrastructure
which makes it one of the most popular holiday destinations in South
Africa.
It is a short drive away
from the magnificent northern KwaZulu-Natal game parks and forests
that are world-renowned for their abundance of wildlife and flora.KwaZulu-Natal
is proud of its conservation feats.
MAP
 .
• TIME ZONE
Local time is GMT +2.
• TELEPHONE
Country Code: 27
CLIMATE
During August and September, average temperatures
in Durban are 23 degrees centigrade maximum and 14 degrees centigrade
minimum, with an average humidity of 77%. Some rain can be expected
and participants are advised to bring some warm garments for the
occasional cooler evening.
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GEOGRAPHY
Durban is home to a rich
variety of cultures. Notably, there is the vibrant Zulu Kingdom
with its colourful tribal traditions and proud heritage. There are
also traces of its colonial history. In addition, one experiences
the mystique of the Orient that runs through every facet of this
city’s life which we see in mosques, temples, eastern markets,
silk and sari shops, spice emporia and traditional festivals.
Greater Durban has a population
of just over one million people and is the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal.
Its natural sea harbour is the largest and busiest in Africa. Durban
is also the ideal pivot from which to explore the numerous attractions
the Province has to offer. Apart from the game parks to the north,
there are the majestic Drakensberg ("Dragon Mountain")
range, the Valley of a Thousand Hills, the historical battlefields
of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, the northern and southern beach resorts,
and the Wild Coast with its lush vegetation.
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LANGUAGE
63.04 percent of Durban residents
speak Zulu at home, 29.96 percent speak English (roughly representing
the Indian and White populations), 3.43 percent speak Xhosa, 1.44
percent speak Afrikaans, 0.7 percent speak Sotho, 0.2 percent speak
Ndebele, 0.1 percent speaks Northern Sotho, and 0.93 percent of
the population speaks a non-official language at home.
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CURRENCY
One Rand (R) = 100 cents
(c). Notes issued R200, R100, R50, R20, R10; coins R5, R2, R1, 50c
20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, & 1c. Currency exchange rates are available
at banks and published daily in the press.
1 South African Rand (ZAR) = 0.13887 US Dollar
(USD)
1 US Dollar (USD) = 7.2 South African Rand(ZAR)
Current Exchange Rate: www.oanda.com
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BANKING
Monday to Friday:
09h00 to 15h30
Saturday: 09h00 to 11h00
Autobanks (ATM's, automated teller machines) are found in most towns
and operate on a 24 hour basis
Most international traveller's cheques are
accepted provided they are in an acceptable currency and may be
cashed at most banks. Many hotels and shops also provide this service.
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HEALTH
No international immunisation
is needed when entering South Africa. The only inoculation requirement
is a yellow fever vaccination certificate from travellers over one
year of age entering South Africa within six days of leaving an
infected country. Visitors who travel through or disembark in these
areas are advised to be inoculated against the disease before visiting
South Africa.
This disease is to the larger
extent under control in South Africa. Regions that are affected
are the Northern Province and Mpumalanga, northern KwaZulu Natal
and Zululand. The risk of contracting the disease is negligible
provided that you take the standard precautions. Malaria tablets,
a good insect repellent particularly in the evening, long-sleeved
shirts and mosquito coils are advisable precautions.
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SECURITY/SAFETY
Information for Foreigners:
As South Africa is a developing country, crime does exist, so we
would advise you to take a few basic precautions. All valuables,
passports, cameras, should be locked in the safe of your hotel.
Valuables should be carried discreetly when walking in cities. Gold
and other expensive items offered for sale by street vendors are
likely to be fakes or stolen property. Do not participate in pavement
games as they are operated by well organised gangs and money can
be stolen while you are distracted.
Public transport is available in South Africa so there is no need
to hitch-hike. Local residents will advise you on safe transport.
If driving, do not pick up hitch-hickers and ensure that your car
doors are locked at all times. The South African Police are easily
recognised in their blue uniforms and white & blue patrol vehilces.
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TRANSPORTATION
Air
Durban International Airport services both domestic and international
flights, with regularly-scheduled service to Swaziland, Mozambique,
and Mauritius. The airport handled four million passengers in 2005,
up over 15 percent from 2004. Plans are at an advanced stage for
the construction of a new airport, to be known as King Shaka International
Airport, at La Mercy, about 36 kilometres north of the Central Business
District, and 15 kilometres north of Umhlanga Rocks.
The airport serves as a major gateway for travellers to KwaZulu-Natal
and the Drakensberg.
Sea
Durban has a long tradition as a port city. The Port of Durban,
which was formerly known as the Port of Natal, is one of the few
natural harbours between Port Elizabeth and Maputo, and is also
located at the beginning of a particular weather phenomenon which
can cause extremely violent seas. These two features made Durban
an extremely busy port of call for ship repairs when the port was
opened in the 1840s. The Port of Durban is now the busiest port
in South Africa, as well as the busiest container port in the Southern
Hemisphere.
The modern Port of Durban grew around trade from Johannesburg,
as the industrial and mining capital of South Africa is not located
on any navigable body of water. Thus, products being shipped from
Johannesburg outside of South Africa have to be loaded onto trucks
or railways and transported to Durban. The Port of Maputo was unavailable
for use until the early 1990s due to civil war and an embargo against
South African products. There is now an intense rivalry between
Durban and Maputo for shipping business.
Salisbury Island, part of the Port of Durban, was formerly a full
naval base until it was downgraded in 2002. It now contains a naval
station and other military facilities. The future of the base, however,
is uncertain, as there is increasing demand to use Salisbury Island
as part of the port facilities.
Rail
Durban is well-served by railways due to its role as the largest
trans-shipment point for goods from the interior of South Africa.
Shosholoza Meyl, the passenger rail service of Spoornet, operates
two long-distance passenger rail services from Durban: a daily service
to and from Johannesburg via Pietermaritzburg, and a weekly service
to and from Cape Town via Kimberley and Bloemfontein. These trains
terminate at Durban Railway Station.
Metrorail operates a commuter rail service in Durban and the surrounding
area. The Metrorail network runs from Durban Station outwards as
far as Stanger on the north coast, Kelso on the south coast, and
Cato Ridge inland.
Roads
One national road starts in Durban and one passes through it: The
N3, the busiest national road in South Africa, which links Durban
with Johannesburg; and the N2, which links Durban with Ermelo, East
London, and Port Elizabeth before ending in Cape Town. The N3 is
particularly important as goods are moved by truck from Johannesburg
to be shipped out of the Port of Durban. The N3 starts in the Central
Business District, and interchanges with the N2 at the Westville
Four-Level Interchange, officially known as the E. B. Cloete Interchange,
which is informally nicknamed the Spaghetti Junction due to the
complicated nature of the interchange. The N2 runs through the entire
city from north to south, and is known locally as the "Outer
Ring Road".
Durban also has a system of freeway and dual carriageway M-roads,
which connect different parts of the city. The M4 exists in two
segments: The northern segment starts as an undivided highway at
Ballito—where it separates from the N2—passing through
Umhlanga Rocks, becoming a dual carriageway just south of that town,
and ending at the northern edge of the Durban CBD. The southern
segment of the M4 starts at the southern edge of the CBD, connecting
it with Durban International Airport, where it reconnects with the
N2. The M7 connects the N2 and the Durban South Industrial Basin
with the N3 and Pinetown via Queensburgh. The M19 connects the N2
with Pinetown via Westville. The M13 acts as an alternative to the
N3, which is tolled at Mariannhill, as well as feeds traffic through
Gillitts, Kloof, and Westville.
Taxis
Durban has two kinds of taxis: metered taxis
and minibus taxis. Unlike many cities, metered taxis are not allowed
to drive around the city to solicit fares and instead must be called
and ordered to a specific location. There are a number of companies
which service the Durban and surrounding regions. These taxi's can
also be called upon for airport transfers, point to point pick ups
and shuttles.
Minibus taxis are the standard form of transport
for the majority of the population who cannot afford private cars.Although
essential, these taxis are often poorly maintained, and are frequently
not road-worthy. These taxis make frequent unscheduled stops to
pick up passengers, which cause accidents when drivers to the rear
are unable to stop in time. With the high demand for transport by
the working class of South Africa, minibus taxis are often filled
over their legal passenger allowance, making for high casualty rates
when minibuses are involved in accidents. Minibuses are generally
owned and operated in fleets, and inter-operator violence flares
up from time to time, especially as turf wars over lucrative taxi
routes occur.
Rickshaws
Durban is also famous for its iconic Zulu
Rickshaw pullers navigating throughout the city. These colourful
characters are famous for theirgiant, vibrant hats and costumes.
Although they have been a mode of transportation since the early
1900s, they mostly cater to tourists.
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TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
* Durban Beaches
From Addington to the Country Club, Durban is lined with some of
the most beautiful beaches. Besides natural beauty these beaches
provide a good number of facilities such as changing rooms, eating
joints, and some water sports - all the making of a great holiday.
* Golden Mile
Golden Mile a 6 km strip along the Durban beachfront is a place
where life takes a turn for fun and relaxation in the city. This
area is covered by a number of amusement parks, cafeterias, bars,
pubs and discos. Visitors and locals alike flock this place and
enjoy apart from other things, a ride on the famous rickshaws of
Durban, a helicopter flip or the foot tapping music emanating from
some of its open-air symphony orchestras
* Durban City Hall
A building designed in Modern Renaissance style and completed in
1910 AD, the City Hall houses the Durban Art Gallery a centre for
international and South African art collections.
* Seaworld (Dolphinarium)
This aquarium is situated in the Golden Mile and linked by an underground
tunnel to the Dophinarium where seal and dolphin shows are held
daily.
* Jumma Mosque
Situated in the most vibrating region to the west of city centre,
it is the largest and the most beautiful mosque in the southern
hemisphere.
* Muckleneuk
An erstwhile home of a sugar magnate, this building now houses three
important African collections. These are Killie Campbell African
Library, The Mashu Museum of Ethonology, and William Campbell Furniture
Museum.
* Other Attractions
Other important attractions in the city include: Alayam Hindu Temple,
Fitzsimons Snake Park, Umgeni River Bird Park, Da Gama Clock, Local
History Museum, Natal Maritime Museum, and Botanical Gardens
LINKS
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