This isn’t like Africa at all. In a hinterland suburb of Durban, we drive in dappled green light under arching trees. Imposing homes can be glimpsed behind high walls and hedges. It’s oddly reminiscent of Beverly Hills or the wealthiest corners of New England. Only the vervet monkeys bouncing through the treetops betray the geographical truth.

When we still the engine, all is quiet. We can hear birdsong and the tic-tic of sprinklers on neatly cropped lawns, and we can appreciate why some joker amended the first letter of a road sign at the entrance to this affluent district. “Kloof ” has been changed to “Aloof.”

Rejoining the highway that divides Kloof in two, we instantly return to another world. Heading southeast, we shuffle amid a dense flow of crowded minibus taxis, trucks huffing clouds of pungent smoke and cars in varying states of disrepair.

In dramatic steps, the road wends downward toward the coast. The heat mounts; the air becomes more humid. We pass through other suburbs: Pinetown, then Westville, then Berea West. Finally, the skyline of downtown Durban looms ahead, backlit by the sheen of the Indian Ocean.

Although Durban is the third-most populous city in South Africa, in terms of power and influence it plays fifth fiddle behind the executive capital, Pretoria; the legislative capital, Cape Town; the judicial capital, Bloemfontein; and the de facto economic capital, Johannesburg.

Moses Mabhida Stadium © Jborzicchi | Dreamstime.com

Until 2010, there were few international flights into Durban (largely due to the airport’s short runway), and many prospective visitors were deterred by reports of the city’s decline since the advent of majority rule in 1994.

The high-rise Central Business District, bordered to the south by Africa’s busiest port and to the east by a broad Indian Ocean beach, was largely surrendered to the informal sector. Many white-collar businesses and major retailers shifted up the coast to the burgeoning community of Umhlanga (pronounced “Umshlanga”). Leafy inland suburbs such as Kloof became protected enclaves, anxious about their future in the new South Africa.

But then a remarkable reversal began. In the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Durban (one of the main host cities) benefitted from an enormous spending spree, with funds that smartened up the CBD and the Golden Mile beachfront, opened an aquarium and theme park — uShaka Marine World — at the southern end of the beach and built an eye-catching new stadium at the northern end.

The most significant development was the construction of King Shaka International Airport at La Mercy, 22 miles north of downtown. The airport, which boasts a runway capable of handling the largest passenger and cargo planes, is the keystone of Dube Tradeport, an integrated mega-project that will expand in phases over the next 50 years. The Tradeport encompasses not just the airport but also an agricultural zone, state-of-the-art IT services and Dube City business park.

When the old airport, just south of the city, was decommissioned in April 2010, there was an extensive debate about what to do with the site. Proposals included the construction of a nuclear power station (South Africa is the continent’s only nuclear country).

The airport site was finally purchased by Transnet National Ports Authority, which aims to excavate a dug-out container port to supplement the existing Port of Durban. Completion of the first phase of the port is projected for 2019, bolstering Durban’s position among the world’s premier trading hubs.

Durban always had geography on its side. The original settlement, established in 1835 and named in honor of Sir Benjamin d’Urban, governor of distant Cape Colony, was located beside a sheltered bay that provided safe haven to ships navigating between Europe and Asia.

Durban City Hall houses The Natural Science Museum and the Durban Art Gallery.
Photo: © Renata Hajkova | Dreamstime.com

Over subsequent decades, the British settlers fought wars against the Zulus and the Boers to maintain their grip on Durban’s hinterland, the province of Natal. With each war, Durban flourished as a staging post. Thousands of workers were drafted from British India, including a young barrister, Mohandas Gandhi. It was here, ignited by the injustices of colonialism, Gandhi forged the leadership skills that would later propel his homeland to independence.

More than a quarter of Durban’s current population is of Indian descent — reputedly the largest Indian population outside India. Another quarter are white (mostly English-speaking, with a minority of Afrikaners), while 37 percent are black Africans, primarily belonging to the Zulu ethnic group.

Under apartheid, the racial groups were segregated. Indigenous Africans were housed in bleak townships, often lacking basic amenities. The crime wave that followed majority rule was largely a symptom of decades of inequality.

Out of adversity comes opportunity. Development projects such as Bridge City, 10 miles north of the CBD, will provide new focal points for the township communities. New road links are being built, and the public transport system is being upgraded to bind the entire city together.

Durban and its surrounding townships and suburbs now come under the administrative umbrella of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. The post-apartheid transition has not been easy, but there are now hopeful signs the disparate parts of this great city are beginning to form a cohesive whole.

From the beachfront hotels of the Golden Mile to the bustling port, the tin-roofed sprawl of the townships to the lush fairways of Royal Durban Golf Club, threadbare township soccer fields to air-conditioned shopping malls, the colorful curio markets to the Neoclassical splendor of City Hall, the modern confidence of Moses Mabhida Stadium to the frenetic downtown chaos of minibus taxis competing for passengers and to the highland tranquility of Kloof: This is Africa in all its diversity.

CHECKING IN WITH ANDREW LAYMAN

CEO, Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry

WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DOES DURBAN OFFER AMERICAN INVESTORS, AND WHAT ARE THE KEY DEVELOPMENTS TO LOOK FOR IN THE FUTURE?

From an economic point of view, the city’s port is its major asset. It is the gateway to Africa, and estimations for future growth led to the planning of a new port to complement the one already in use. The municipality is consulting on its Back of Port plan which includes some rezoning of the area for transport and logistics and a dedicated freight route to the interior, thereby easing the current congestion on the main highway. Within this arena, there are numerous opportunities for investment.

In the northern part of the city, Umhlanga Ridge and the Dube Tradeport (which includes King Shaka International Airport) opened numerous investment opportunities. It is hoped the airport will be linked to the city by high-speed rail, while visions of the Dube Tradeport include a quick and seamless link to the port and the development of an aerotropolis. The environment for this is considered uniquely positive due to the availability of space and the fact the land is owned by few owners.

MasterCard recently reported Durban was the African city expected to grow most in tourism during the next decade. There are great opportunities for resorts and hotels and property development generally.

WHAT CULTURAL DIFFERENCES SHOULD FOREIGN INVESTORS BE AWARE OF WHEN DOING BUSINESS IN DURBAN?

I suppose the most obvious inhibition may be the country’s policies on Black Economic Empowerment. I don’t believe these need to be as intimidating as they often appear. Collaboration with a black business partner makes business easier in the sense that government and the majority of the population are committed to the advancement of previously disadvantaged people. There are many highly respectable black businesspeople who are good at what they do. I wouldn’t consider that business in Durban requires any special appreciation of a culture. In many aspects, our business is quite Western in the way it operates. We have a poor reputation as regards corruption, but this is inevitably where private/public sector business is involved. The business-to-business environment would be quite acceptable to American investors.

IS THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT STILL A MAJOR FOCAL POINT OF BUSINESS, OR HAS THE CENTER OF GRAVITY MOVED ELSEWHERE?

The commercial center of Durban gravitated to the north. The CBD remains a strong center of retail, but the nature of trading changed in response to the market. The city’s traditional main streets are as busy as ever, but with different people. The more affluent people shop in malls and generally avoid the old CBD. Some banks and similar companies retain property in the CBD. The Chamber would like to see more effort on the part of the municipality to balance the development to the north by a more concerted program of inner-city rejuvenation. The development at the Point [at the southern end of the Golden Mile], which has been stalled over a long period for several reasons, would go a long way toward achieving this balance. I must add that the prospect of a company having a head office in Umhlanga overlooking the sea is one to relish.

WHICH LOCAL ATTRACTIONS DO YOU RECOMMEND?

Durban lacks a mountain, but has great beaches and a warm sea. Even in the heart of winter, temperatures are mild, the sun shines a great deal, and the water is inviting. uShaka Marine Park is a great theme park and includes a world-class aquarium and dolphinarium. The mountains of the Drakensberg are easily accessible (just more than two hours away), while there are game parks with abundant wildlife within that distance.

DIVERSIONS

For much of the past hundred years, the Golden Mile — Durban’s Miami-esque beachfront — has been the premier domestic attraction for South African tourists, with thousands flocking from the cities of the interior during school holidays. Immediately after the end of apartheid, the area’s fortunes nose-dived as residents and tourists shifted up the coast to Umhlanga Rocks. Hundreds of millions of dollars have since been invested to recapture something of the Golden Mile’s former glory. At the southern end of the Mile is uShaka Marine World, a world-class aquarium and water park, which is immensely popular but costs the city government a fortune to run. Its ultimate success is still in the balance. At the opposite end of the Mile is the Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World, a 26-hectare Art Deco complex that attracts 750,000 visitors per month, lured by gaming halls, restaurants and cinemas. Not far from the Suncoast Casino is Moses Mabhida Stadium, a 54,000-capacity venue built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It regularly hosts soccer and cricket matches as well as music concerts. At 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on weekends, visitors can scale the stadium’s distinctive arch for spectacular views of the city.

North of Durban, at Umhlanga, is Africa’s largest shopping mall, the Gateway Theatre of Shopping, which includes a skate park and the world’s highest indoor climbing wall. Also in Umhlanga is the headquarters of the Kwazulu-Natal Sharks Board, where — if you have the stomach for it — you can witness shark dissections.

An hour inland from Durban is a beautiful area of rolling farmland marketed as the Midlands Meander, with an abundance of quirky rural crafts shops, leisure activities and scenic bed and breakfasts. Continuing further inland, you’ll reach the atmospheric battlefields of the Zulu and Boer wars and the breathtakingly rugged Drakensberg — the Dragon Mountains.

The Drakensberg
Photo: © Daleen Loest | Dreamstime.com

LODGING

Coastlands on the Ridge

Guestroom balconies provide great views of the city a short taxi ride from the Central Business District. 315-319 Peter Mokaba Ridge $$

Hilton Durban

This fine, modern, downtown hotel is beside the International Conference Centre Durban, within walking distance of the Golden Mile beachfront. 12-14 Walnut Road $$$$

The Oyster Box

This recently refurbished colonial-era seafront hotel with its own lighthouse is situated north of Durban in upmarket Umhlanga Rocks. 2 Lighthouse Road, Umhlanga Rocks $$$$

DINING

9th Avenue Bistro

Incongruously housed in a small shopping center, this surprisingly sophisticated restaurant offers first-rate fusion cuisine. 2 Avonmore Centre, 9th Avenue $$$

Capsicum Restaurant

Despite its uninspiring location beside a major highway north of the Central Business District, Capsicum is famous for local curries, including bunny chow. Britannia Hotel, 1299 Umgeni Road $$

Havana Grill

Sit by the window and gaze out at the ocean while enjoying a superb South African steak. Suncoast Casino, Marine Parade $$$