# is moving to Durban safe?



## PDR

The company I work for has a project in Durban port. I could request being sent there, but as I am travelling with wife and kid (6y) I was doing some checks. There is a lot of mention of violent crime and such, so I was wondering if it is feasable to live either north or south of Durban and do a daily commute. I assume I will have a car to do this commute, the only thing is that I don't want to land my family in isolation.
I looks like Umhlanga is livable but I would appreciate some insights from other expats living in or around Durban.

Thanks


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## Steve1967

Ive heard their are some nice parts of Durban, i think its just the speculation of South africa overall.
I think people just think its all the same as Cape town but im pretty sure ive heard nice things about Durban, ill check up about the north and south parts for you.


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## clantry

Hi Steve,
I am currently in the midst of doing an awful lot of homework to find out where I will live with my 6yo girl and my 3yo boy. My husband and I have been based in sth east asia and europe for the past 9 years. We are currently back in oz and in the near future he will be starting a new contract in J burg.

My neighbour here in oz is from sth africa, and tells me the best and safest place for myself and the children to live is a village called Umdloti Beach, it is about 20 to 25 minutes from central durban.

She also tells me that my husband would be better off to leave us there and come back on the weekends, as Like I said before, he will be in J burg and she says I shouldn't take the children there. I have no problem with this. The homework I have done so far makes me think that she is right. The only thing is, education, I am yet to find out about that. I think maybe we may have to go to durban for schooling. Good luck, I do trust this person immensely, hope this helps you a little.


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## Peterc

There are some decent places in and around Durban, you would be better off staying outside of Durban and drive to work. The roads are not that busy. There are certain areas you should stay away from at night time though.


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## synthia

There used to be some really great suburbs outside Johannesburg. They aren't safe now either?

I've heard Hillbrow, in the city, is really bad. That's a shame, because it used to be a kind of cool, funky place.


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## patman

*Durban or Johannesburg*

Hi Clantry,

I lived in Johannesburg for 30 years and Durban for 3. Unhloti Beach and Umhlanga are both very good places to live - good schools too. I would live there if I returned to SA.

You could also consider places like Kloof (it is more inland but really nice - 20 mins from Durban).


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## synthia

I was just talking to someone from the Netherlands who travels to South Africa all the time. He thinks the city of Durban is just as dangerous as Johannesburg, and that they are both very, very bad. So if you settle near Durban, you might want to avoid actually going into the city.


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## apricot

Umdloti Beach and Umhlanga Beach are wonderful places and certainly better than living in Durban. Another wonderful place to live it Ballito to the north of Durban. My alltime most favourite spot in the world!


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## gkloken

ExpatForum said:


> Hi Clantry,
> Welcome to the site and thanks for sharing this.
> Hope to see more of you here.
> Regards


South Africa in general is a safe place, crime is similar to being in Atlanta New Orleans etc. I choose to disagree about Johannesburg. Naturally there are certain suburbs that are less safe than others like in every big metropolitan city.
You can live in so many surounding suburbs of Johannesburg where you are safe and sound . If you let me know where his new job is located I might be able to give you options to look at regarding suburbs.


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## synthia

Even 25 years ago, downtown Johannesburg was a dangerous place, deserted at night, and frightening if you had to stay in a downtown hotel for business reasons. Hillbrow was OK back then, though. 

It's more like Detroit, I think. Downtown usually doesn't figure so much in people's lives.


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## rudy

u r right that is about, the place to stay. Durban beach front & central is riddled with drugs & crime, do your shopping at gateways shopping centre, dont worry not as bad as it seems just stay away from those 2 places & u will be fine.


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## STEFF

As mentioned by others Ballito is a very nice place, and one of the safest i feel with Primary schools and a community, I have friends that have lived there for 20 years.


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## Chantal

I'm a South African based in Port Elizabeth. I have lived in Durban and to be exact Umhlanga. 2 avenues away from the beach and two tiny blocks away from the shops. All i can say is i have been back every Summer. It is agreat place. I am 32 years of age and female. I run along the beachfront by myself and it is perfectly safe. it is the best place to live in S.A. only problem is, it is a bit expensive. There is a great shopping mall close by and a very attractive gym to meet all your needs. Durbans crime is nowhere near that of Johannesburg. There is so much being said about crime in S.A. please make sure that you get the infomation from S.A citizens as this can be a very controversial topic and the only clarification on the subject should come from a S.A living in the area as the areas vary dramatically in accordance to crime.


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## Stravinsky

Chantal said:


> and the only clarification on the subject should come from a S.A living in the area as the areas vary dramatically in accordance to crime.


What about those that _have_ lived in those areas but left because of crime issues?


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## Chantal

Dear Stravinsky
I have to say that it is in my opinion that the many people leaving S.A. from good suburbs in the country is due mainly to the economy at the moment and crimeis a great excuse for a white man who can't get a job because of the colour of his skin. Many companies are under pressure to make sure that they are at least 50% minimum staffed with employees of colour excluding white as the government is doing everything in its power to aide the black community in equal participantship this even includes employing a black man with lesser education than that of a white person with higher education. Please do not missunderstand me, i am a liberal person and only stating the facts. the economy is so bad for poor people. A rise in food costs will mean a 45% increase in costs to the poor community and only a 5% increase in costs to that of a middle classed community as the food costs that are hit are the types of food that the poorer community survive on, it is really sad. South Africa has it's definate different communities. One rarely find the black population residing in any other area than theirs, the same goes for whites, indians and coloureds. If you are white and stay reside in a white community you will not have a problem. Its when the different cultures start moving into each others territory that there is problem. The closer you live to another community the more open you are to violence. I remember when i lived in London, Brixton was dangerous, just as here, you need to stay in your areas, besides, you won't have any reson to go to another area. I am a sales rep and often have to travel into the black communities in P.E. I have to say, i do watch my back, keep my handbag in my car trunk and make sure that i am not wearing any lavish clothing so as not to come across as if i have anyhting of value that can be stolen. I don't feel 100% safe but i have done this for 3 years and not had a problem. I do lock my car doors when i go to these areas. Understand that S.A is very different, there is still a lot of bitterness in this country due to appartheid. The poor need to steal to survive and sometimes they kill, rape and beat you near to death to do this. keep away from these areas and you will be fine. I think that fellow South Africans are using crime as a reson to jump ship when in actual fact it's the lack of economy and job availabilities. However having said this Johannesburg is full of crime all over. We have nick named it "Gangsters Paradise" for obvious reasons. This is because the ones surviving on crime are actually getting rich from crime, as there is so much more money in Johannesburg and survival crime is becomming a rich mans industry.


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## Daxk

Hi Chantal,if you are correct and economics is the main Emigration trigger, why is the whites unemployment figure only 6%? ?


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## Chantal

Hey Daxk - good question! Let me emphasise on my previous post. It's not that the unemployment percentage amongst whites is low it's that one needs to sustain a really good job in order to obtain an income high enough to live in areas that are safe. Hence those leaving the country have enough income to do so are leaving the safe areas. I'm refering particularly to Johannesburg. I read a previous post on an expact loving Johannesburg, but guesse what. . . she is residing in Sandton, if not the most expensive area in Johannesburg and South Africa. You see - if you have the income it is safe. stay in the rich and middle class areas and all is fine. So why are people leaving from these areas? Their jobs are not secure with the economy and our government right now therefore their safety is not assured. Personally i think that wherever you read the figure of 6% is untrue but i do believe you that you read it, no doubt in one of our government gazettes, you do realise our government is probably the most corrupt in the world and figures are there to make things look good for them. Hope that was helpful.


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## tyron

*Living on the North Coast.*



PDR said:


> The company I work for has a project in Durban port. I could request being sent there, but as I am travelling with wife and kid (6y) I was doing some checks. There is a lot of mention of violent crime and such, so I was wondering if it is feasable to live either north or south of Durban and do a daily commute. I assume I will have a car to do this commute, the only thing is that I don't want to land my family in isolation.
> I looks like Umhlanga is livable but I would appreciate some insights from other expats living in or around Durban.
> 
> Thanks


Hi there,the North Coast is the safest place to live.I use to live in La Lucia (Umhlanga) myself.Umhlanga is over rated,all the bussiness spill over from
Durban relocate to Umhlanga,it's become chaos in the last 5 years,very busy 
and very bussiness orientated.
Umhlali or sheffield beach near Ballito are great places to live,peacefull and more family orientated.Tongaat has a good school,Crawford.Ballito just oppened their new hospital a few months ago,shopping centres galore.And all of that just 30 minutes away from Durban.

Good luck
Tyron


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