Mayor: Obed Mlaba Country: South Africa Country Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Country Population: Over 43 million City Population: Over 2.3 million Geography: Coastal city on the southeastern seaboard of South Africa in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. History: Vasco de Gama, a Portuguese navigator, discovered the coastline of Natal on Christmas Day in 1497. What he thought to be a lagoon at the mouth of a large river, which he called Rio de Natal (Christmas River), turned out to be a land-locked bay, perfect for anchoring ships. In the early19th century, a party of English traders built a settlement in the bush near the harbor on the site of Durban’s old railway station. In June 1835 the small town growing there was named Durban, after Sir Benjamin D’Urban, then the governor of the Cape. Natal, however, was already home to the Zulu nation. Durban became a municipality in 1854 and a city in 1935. Industry: Agriculture, Chemicals, Clothing, Fashion & Textiles, Electrical, Flag, Banners & Flagpoles, Furniture, and Packaging. Did You Know? Durban is considered to have one of the best selections of Art Deco architecture of any city in the world. Flag Description: The design and colors of the flag are a blend of principal elements of the country’s flag history and promote national reconciliation. The flag’s six colors are taken from the colors of every political party in South Africa and represent the spectrum of ideologies united under one banner.
PAST DURBAN – CHICAGO PROGRAMS
2009 March 13
Focus: Culture
The Durban Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International partnered with the Fulbright Association at the Hyde Park Arts Center to prsent a night celebrating South African Culture. The evening featured remarks by Pearl Nomyume Magaga, Consul General of South Africa; a presentation of the short documentary "Portrayal from South Africa" by filmmaker Irish Dawn Parker, "The Journey," a photographic installation by Sydney Sutane Sheshibedi; and a musical performance by echoes of Southern Africa
The Durban committee welcomed a delegation led by Durban City Councilor Lekogoe Mapena on Monday, November 2nd. The delegation also included the Deputy Head of Health Services, the manager of the municpality’s Small Business Development, a member of the International Relations Department and the Co-Director of the Kwamashu Community Arts Project. During their brief stay, [...]
