The eThekwini Municipality's population will increase by 30 percent over the next 20 years and, to meet this demand, a multi-billion rand plan has been drafted to build 133 400 more houses in existing suburbs and on vacant land.
Details of an ambitious plan to deal with the population growth of the municipality are contained in the Draft Spatial Development Plan (SDP), which has been taken to communities for comment.
Copies of the plans are available on the eThekwini Municipality website, in municipal libraries and offices. Comments on it must be submitted before October 20.
The draft plan will then go for council approval in November and be reviewed annually.
There are at present 3.5 million people living in the eThekwini Municipality and the population is expected to grow by 1.05 million by 2030.
Suburban areas like Pinetown, Durban North, Umhlanga, Chatsworth, Phoenix and Outerwest suburbs (Kloof, Assagay, Waterfall) are set to see the number of residents increased as the city "densifies" areas which already have infrastructure, as opposed to completely developing new communities.
Deputy head of development planning, Lihle Phewa, said instead of building new communities in far-flung areas they planned to maximise development where there was already available infrastructure and capacity. This plan includes getting more people to live in formal dwellings in central Durban.
Large tracts of agricultural land in the Outer West, which can no longer be used, are also likely to be used for housing.
Phewa said the plan was intended to guide investment in the city for the next five years.
The plan divides the municipality into four regions, Central, Outer West, South and North.
At a meeting in Queensburgh last week for residents living in the central region it was estimated that the plan for development in the central region alone would be more than R9 billion.
However, with only R3 billion in the coffers for the development, the council could be going cap-in-hand to the national government for money.
The council's Devoshini Konar, who fielded questions from residents, said there were also proposals for a levy to be charged on private developments within the municipality.
The plan has identified water supply as a potential snag.
The water reconciliation study, which projects Durban's anticipated water demand, has found that Umgeni water resources, which are the main supply to eThekwini, are facing imminent water shortages - only postponed owing to an unusually wet period for the past four to five years.
The report also underlined that the assurance of supply has already dropped from a one-in-100-year drought to one-in-20-year drought and is continuing to reduce below levels which were acceptable for ongoing development of the city.
The city has said its SDP may be amended once the impact of water demand availability has been fully assessed.
The city has suggested that recycling of sewage to a potable water standard may be one way of alleviating the problem.
The report also says the city needs to expand the existing sewage disposal facilities.
The city is hoping that the construction of the western aqueduct, a bulk water pipeline from Cato Ridge to Inanda and Pinetown, which will also supply Durban and its surrounding areas, will help alleviate water delivery problems.
In the Outer West region which stretches from Field's Hill to Cato Ridge and includes Hillcrest and Shongweni, the housing density is expected to be taken from 144 372 to 247 019 dwellings.
The western suburbs (Kloof, Hillcrest and Waterfall) are set to have an increase in house dwellings from around 17 203 currently to a potential 30 400 by 2030.
Formal housing is also being proposed on the remainder of Luke Baillie's Farm and along the Old Main Road, and in Assagay and Waterfall.
Hillcrest was the only Outer West suburb identified for infill houses - the plan is to fill up vacant lots in this built up suburb.
The municipality has also identified potential along the Old Main Road running through Gillitts and Kloof where houses can be converted into offices.
The Northern Region of the municipality, which runs from Durban North to Tongaat, houses 31 percent of the eThekwini's population with largest concentrations in KwaMashu, Phoenix and Durban North.
The Northern Region is expected to absorb 44 percent of the total growth of the eThekwini municipality by 2030 with 470 000 more people expected to live in this region. The region's population will rise from 1.15 million to 1.62 million.
The majority of this population growth is expected among the low to middle income families in housing developments.
At least 98 000 of 133 400 new housing units in eThekwini will be in the north. But the bulk of these houses are planned for the Ohlanga catchment and Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu areas.
The South Region will need to house 229 625 more people in 2030 and the plan proposed that housing stock be increased from ' 000 to 258 000.
Umlazi, Isipingo, Kingsburgh, Umgababa, Umkomaas and new developments in Cragieburn have been identified for residential infilling.
The city wants to upgrade the Amanzimtoti town centre and establish economic developments at the N2/R603 intersection.
Central Durban is also expected to be the urban core and the major transportation hub and logistics centre.