Durban’s sweeping golden beaches entirely justify the city’s status as one of Africa’s major resorts. For the visitor, South Africa’s second most populous city offers a colourful range of cultural experiences to complement its balmy Indian Ocean climate and attractive seafront. The greater metropolitan area is known as eThekwini, but the true meaning of this word is not known.

But the city’s importance to South Africa goes way beyond its appeal to surfers, sun-seekers and whale-watchers, although these activities are all significant draws.The city is Africa’s busiest port, and as such is an important focus for the country’s export economy. But what really makes it differ from other South African cities is its rich ethnic mix. More than half of Durban’s 3.4 million inhabitants are Zulu, but a significant minority is made up by those of Indian descent, who account for almost one-fifth of the population. White Europeans account for less than one tenth of the residents.

Modern Durban was founded in the 1830s following a gift of land by the then Zulu King, Shaka. The settlement was named in honour of the Cape Colony governor, Sir Benjamin d’Urban. The new city suffered mixed fortunes over the following decades, at one point being evacuated due to fierce conflict between the Voortrekkers and the Zulus, but eventually passed into British hands in the 1860s, when the sugar cane industry was established. It was to work in this industry that many Indians were brought to the area by the British.