Shopping

The Pavilion (John Lamberti)
The Pavilion (John Lamberti)

In the urban areas, the development of sophisticated suburban shopping malls and centres dominates the consumer industry. These include: The Gateway at Umhlanga, the Pavilion off the N3 at Westville, the Westwood Mall near Westville, The Workshop in Durban, La Lucia Mall, The Heritage Market, situated in Hillcrest, Midlands Liberty Mall in Pietermaritzburg and the Shelly Beach Mall. The malls provide one- stop shopping experiences, where most major retailers are present, offering recognised brands of merchandise. Entertainment on offer ranges from theatre and cinemas to adventure golf, skateboarding, surfing and climbing walls.

In the rural towns, much of the shopping takes place in the main street area, however, rural families tend to travel to the cities for their major requirements. A popular and growing shopping industry is the informal trading markets, which includes farm produce, rural arts and crafts, home crafts, and catering.

In Durban the upmarket Essenwood Craft Market includes craft, art, treasures and collectables market and takes place every Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm. The Stables with more than 200 stalls is open Wednesdays and Fridays from 6 - 10 pm for a moonlight craft market and Sundays from 11 am- 5 pm. Grey Street is home to Durban's Indian district and is the best place to enjoy spicy local food. Wander around the area and the bazaars and buy some of the incredible spices and textiles in the Province from local Indian vendors.

In Pietermaritzburg, visit the Oval Arts and Crafts Market on the first Sunday of the month and on the last Sunday of the month, Alexandra Park market.

In Richards Bay, The Tuzi Gazi Waterfront includes a market office complex, numerous shops, pubs, restaurants and walk on moorings

Many restaurants, arts and craft establishments are suited close together in various areas and visitors are encouraged to roam from place to place. Notably, the hills of the midlands are home to country inns, guesthouses and picturesque bed and breakfast establishments. The area is known for its marvellous arts-and-crafts route, the Midlands Meander. http://midlands.kzn.org.za/midlands/

Shopping Hours
Trading hours are generally from 09:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and from 08:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Main towns may have extended shopping hours on Saturdays and Sundays.