Multi-million rand developments are being planned for various parts of the eThekwini unicity in a bid to boost tourism and stimulate the local economy, but have the conditions of ordinary residents improved?

"We don'€™t have race problems here. We are fortunate because we have very decent neighbours. You can see by the cars they are driving that they are earning good salaries."Chris Botha, 73, has lived in Seaview for the past 60 years. He remembers when the Southway Mall was nothing but a grove of mango trees, and Indian people were removed from Titren Road in the 1960s.

Mbali Mosia was born in Umlazi'€™s G Section, as were her three children. She lives with her parents in a four-room former council house now owned by her mother.Not long ago, Umlazi was characterised by a high level of political violence. Today the township is still clearly demarcated into ANC and Inkatha areas, but acts of violence are now criminally rather than politically motivated.

Not a single person in Inanda'€™s Congo area, some 30km from Durban'€™s city centre, lives in a formal house with running water '€“ let alone a flush toilet.

Shirley Ebrahim does not know where to turn. She owes the eThekwini council R22 000 in arrears in rent and services for the tiny flat that she occupies with her four children, aged from seven to 17.