Speech by eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba
“It is that time of the year when the city unveils its Festive Season Management Plan to demonstrate our state of readiness to host thousands of holidaymakers.
This festive season is particularly special for us as it comes at a time when the city is experiencing significant improvements in water and sanitation services. For the first time in five years, all our bulk water reservoirs are stable with Durban Heights, Wiggins and Midmar treatment works operating at full capacity. This means that communities in the north, south and central regions will enjoy uninterrupted water supply during this period and beyond.
Even township and rural communities in the north of Durban have received an early Christmas gift as they will now enjoy reliable water supply following the recommissioning of the Ntuzuma water pump station, which was destroyed by fire in 2023.
Our festive season is further strengthened by the latest beach water quality results, which confirm that all 23 of our bathing beaches are safe for swimming. We reiterate to our visitors and residents that all our beaches are open and safe. Since the 2022 floods, we have worked diligently to repair and upgrade sewer infrastructure, particularly systems affecting our coastline.
We continue to monitor beach water quality through weekly testing and we are confident that this progress puts us firmly on the path toward achieving blue flag status.
We are also pleased to report that more than 40 swimming pools will be open to the public, including the popular Children’s Amusement Centre pool.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are aware of ongoing smear campaigns aimed at discouraging tourists from visiting Durban. In recent days, there have been desperate attempts to spread misinformation about our beaches through fake news.
Let me state categorically: we are fully transparent with our beach water results, which we publish regularly on our website. We also welcome collaboration with independent laboratories for joint testing to verify and compare results.
Ladies and gentlemen, when we launched our Summer Season Campaign in October, we indicated that we expect to receive 1.3 million visitors to Durban. We anticipate a direct spend of more than R341 million (US$20 million) and a total contribution of R845 million (US$50 million) to the city’s GDP. This economic activity will help create over 15 000 jobs and generate more than R630 million (US$37 million) in taxes.
We are indeed excited that tourism continues on an upward economic trajectory. Recent data from SA Tourism shows exceptional growth across domestic and international markets. Domestic tourism spend increased by 28%, reaching R8.4 billion between January and October 2025, driven by growing demand for experience-led activities. International visitor spend rose by 29% to R1.1 billion (US$64.8 million), supported by high-growth markets such as Australia, the UAE and Botswana.
This year, the city has gone above and beyond to curate a festive season like no other, under the theme “Endless Waves of Tranquillity”. Our programme includes major flagship events such as the Durban Jazz Festival, the Fact Durban Rocks New Year’s Celebration, the Ladysmith Black Mambazo Christmas Special, Anywhere In Your City and many more. These events, combined with Durban’s diverse attractions from marine adventures to cultural experiences, ensure that Durban remains the warmest place to be this summer.
We will also host a series of precinct activations during the festive season, including the City Street Carnival, Christmas lighting displays, the revival of major hotel celebrations and new year’s eve fireworks at the beachfront.
With the cruise season having officially commenced in November, Durban is welcoming a spectacular lineup of vessels and a diverse influx of international tourists.
Ladies and gentlemen, today also serves as an important reminder of the power of domestic tourism. We encourage our residents to explore and appreciate the hidden gems within their own city. Durban, with its golden beaches, rich cultural heritage and world-class attractions, has much to offer not only to our international guests but also to the people who call this city home.
We urge our residents to become ambassadors for Durban, South Africa’s playground.
To our visitors, we say: Durban awaits you with open arms. Come and immerse yourself in the Endless Waves of Tranquillity. From the vibrant nightlife of Florida Road to the serenity of the Botanic Gardens Trail of Lights, Durban offers something extraordinary for every traveller.
We assure all visitors that there will be enhanced law-enforcement visibility across the city with increased policing in entertainment areas. Multidisciplinary operations, including roadblocks, focusing on reckless driving, unroadworthy vehicles and drinking and driving, will be conducted. Over 2 000 officers will be deployed for day and night-time patrols on freeways, the beachfront, shopping centres and crime hotspots. These efforts are supported by our network of more than 500 CCTV cameras.
To further strengthen safety, our newly established Coastal and Tourism Policing Unit will patrol 100km of coastline from Umkhomazi in the south to Westbrook in the north. This unit underscores our commitment to ensuring that residents and visitors enjoy a safe environment on our beaches.
We have increased our capacity at the beachfront by recruiting 650 seasonal staff, including:
- 78 lifeguards
- 135 litter pickers
- 67 beach guides
- 70 pool supervisors
- 113 pool attendants
- 43 childminders and
- 135 additional security guards
We have also procured seven tents for separated children and secured an overnight facility at Ellis Brown Primary School in South Beach. In addition, the city has procured 200 000 armbands to help identify children easily.
With all these measures in place, we are confident that we will deliver a safe, vibrant and memorable festive season.
Let us step into this period with pride, passion and purpose. Durban is ready. The real question is: Are you ready to experience it?
Thank you.
