Go with a plan.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Durban at 20/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than South Africa's national picture overall (55/100 vs 61/100).
City page · part of South Africa
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Durban report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside South Africa's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
80.5
Safety Index
19.5
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as South Africa's national page, with crime swapped for Durban's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Durban, specifically
- • The beach strip is frequently patrolled by policemen, there are CCTV cameras and many lights at night.
- • Avoid the Point Road (aka Mahatma Gandhi Road) area at all times.
- • At night, it is still a good idea to stick to the main streets and not go out at night unless you are very familiar with a particular area.
- • Remember, you're a tourist, not a celebrity. Dress down to blend in with the people in the CBD (keep the fancy stuff to a minimum).
- • The harbour area is quite safe, as are the shopping malls and higher residential areas.
- • The Point, the area between downtown and the port, is known for prostitution and cheap hotels and has a higher crime rate (although parts are undergoing a massive redevelopment).
Legal status (national law)
Male legal since 8 May 1998Female always legal; equal age of consent since 2007 + UN decl. sign.
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / M / N · 230V
Driving side
left
Emergency
police: 10 111 / ambulance: 10 177 / fire: 10 177
Tipping
Tipping is the norm in restaurants. Indeed, most of these businesses pay their staff the legal minimum-wage, relying on customer tips to bring staff incomes up to live-able levels. Tips of around 10% of the bill are considered the norm but you may refuse to tip if the food and/or service were below par. Please note some restaurants management shares all "official" tips, you may want to rather give
Cash vs. Card
The currency is the rand, denoted by the symbol "R" (ISO code: ZAR). It is divided into 100 cents (c). Notes are in denominations of R200, R100, R50, R20 and R10. Higher value notes are slightly larger in physical size than small value notes. All notes have a metallic security strip and a watermark. Two series of banknotes are in circulation and are legal tender in South Africa, the "Big Five" ser
How this compares to South Africa
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Durban at 20/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than South Africa's national picture overall (55/100 vs 61/100).
See the full South Africa page and all receipts →