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  • Elias Jaber

    Due to my children, I was reluctant to move to Durban for my job, but fortunately, I found some other expats with kids soon.

Employment in Durban

Local Economy

Durban is the second most important manufacturing center in South Africa behind Johannesburg, accounting for 15% of South Africa’s entire national output. It also has the busiest port in all of Africa, making it a hub of import and export. Although not the most prominent tourist location in South Africa, tourism also contributes significantly to Durban’s economy.

Other major industries include sugar cane agriculture, forestry, and automotive and petrochemical companies. With an important CBD, Durban has plenty of opportunities in the tertiary sector, including as a financial center and in customer service. Expats working in Durban are often involved in the city’s outsourced call centers or in engineering.

As of 2013, South Africa’s GDP per capita was 6,617 USD, but Durban’s per capita income is much higher than in some other parts of the country

Job Hunting in Durban

International recruitment sites such as Indeed and Gumtree cover South Africa and Durban. Also useful is Careers24.

Independent Online is a major online news site in South Africa covering job opportunities in Durban and elsewhere, as well as hosting the internet versions of some of South Africa’s major newspapers. Local newspapers include The Mercury and Daily News, which has a human resources supplement called “Workplace” every Wednesday.

The Labor Department of South Africa has a good website and Durban’s KwaZulu-Natal section.

The office is located in Durban at: Government Buildings, Masonic Grove, and Durban. Postal Address: PO Box 10074 Marine Parade 4056. Telephone number: (031) 366 1511.

Income Taxation in Durban

Expats who work in Durban are usually subject to the same personal income tax as locals (although double taxation agreements with your own country should be investigated) as well as municipal taxes. South Africa has a number of different income tax brackets; each of them entails a specific fix tax amount and an additional percentage, both depending on the brackets. They are as follows, with salary listed in South African rand (ZAR).

  • ​0 – 181,900 ​= 18%
  • 181,901 – 284,100: ​32,742 + 26% of the amount above 181,900
  • ​284,101 – 393,200: 59,314 + 31% of the amount above 284,100
  • ​393,201 – 550,100: 93,135 + 36% of the amount above 393,200
  • ​550,101 – 701,300: 149,619 + 39% of the amount above 550,100
  • ​701,301 and above: ​208,587 + 41% of the amount above 701,300

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) in Durban is located at: 201 Dr. Pixley Kaseme Street (formerly West Street).

Find more information in the official website.

Telephone number: 0800 00 7277.

Oct 27, 2023, 7:00 PM
8 attendees
An evening of Indian cuisine at the magnificent Elarish restaurant. For your favorite biryani or bunny, join us at this beloved Bluff bistro. Don't know what bunny chow is?? Check here.. https://www
Sep 16, 2023, 6:00 PM
7 attendees
Salve Everyone! Let's meet to enjoy a refreshing Spring evening in Durban at an exclusive restaurant in Broadway, Durban North. Here's why... 1. Italian food is healthy! This is because its simple,
Aug 19, 2023, 2:00 PM
9 attendees
Join us for a meal at, Unity bar and brasserie. Their food and drinks have a local flair. They pride themselves with good quality farm grown, free range and more inclusive food. I am sure it will make
Jul 15, 2023, 1:00 PM
13 attendees
Let's meet at California dreaming. While we wait for our meal, we can run onto the beach for a dip in the warm Indian Ocean. We can also kick and throw the ball around. Then we can quench our thirst w

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  • Elias Jaber

    Due to my children, I was reluctant to move to Durban for my job, but fortunately, I found some other expats with kids soon.

  • Johanna S. Mattikanen

    As a trailing spouse on InterNations, I was happy to get involved in some community work with other expats in Durban.

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