South Africa
South Africa Durban Mission
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Location
- Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Country
- South Africa
- Region
- Southern Africa
- Local time
- Africa/Johannesburg
- Coordinates
- 29.9° S, 31.0° E
- Population of Durban
- 3,338,026
- Climate
- Humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa)
- Currency
- South African rand (ZAR R)
- Languages in South Africa
- English, Afrikaans, South Ndebele, Southern Sotho + 6 more
Where is the South Africa Durban Mission?
The South Africa Durban Mission is based in Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Durban lies about 540 km (330 miles) south-east of Pretoria, at 29.9° S, 31.0° E.
Durban has a recorded population of about 3.3 million. It is one of 5 missions based in South Africa.
Missionaries assigned here serve across areas set by the mission, which can reach well beyond Durban itself, and they are transferred between those areas during a mission.
Where this information comes from
Local time in Durban
Missionary Tracker shows this clock and today’s weather next to your missionary, so nobody has to work out whether it is a reasonable hour to write.
Climate and seasons in Durban
Durban has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Hot, humid summers and mild winters, with rain spread across the year. The warmest month is February, averaging a daily high of 28 °C (82 °F); the coolest is July, averaging a daily low of 11 °C (52 °F). Around 1,010 mm (39.8 in) of precipitation falls in an average year, most of it in January and least in June.
Summer
December – February
- Average high
- 27 °C (81 °F)
- Average low
- 20 °C (68 °F)
- Rainfall
- 364 mm (14.3 in)
Autumn
March – May
- Average high
- 26 °C (79 °F)
- Average low
- 17 °C (63 °F)
- Rainfall
- 243 mm (9.6 in)
Winter
June – August
- Average high
- 23 °C (73 °F)
- Average low
- 12 °C (54 °F)
- Rainfall
- 126 mm (5 in)
Spring
September – November
- Average high
- 24 °C (75 °F)
- Average low
- 17 °C (63 °F)
- Rainfall
- 277 mm (10.9 in)
This describes the weather, not what to pack. Your Missionary Portal and the mission’s own “what to bring” instructions decide your clothing and equipment, and they take priority over anything here.
Languages
Languages most widely used in South Africa are English, Afrikaans, South Ndebele and Southern Sotho, alongside 6 more in regular use.
- English
- Afrikaans
- South Ndebele
- Southern Sotho
This describes the country, not the assignment. The language a missionary is called to speak is set by the Church and stated in the call itself — it can differ from the languages above, and missionaries in one mission are not always assigned the same one.
Preparing to serve in the South Africa Durban Mission
Start with the instructions in your Missionary Portal and the mission’s own letter — those are the only sources that speak for the South Africa Durban Mission. These guides cover the practical side nobody sends you: the paperwork, the shopping, the packing and the last weeks at home.
What to Do After Receiving Your Mission Call
The call answers where and when. This is the order to do everything that follows, starting with the parts that have deadlines.
Read the guideLDS Mission Preparation Checklist: Everything to Do Before You Leave
The whole runway in one place — from the year before you submit a recommendation to the morning you leave for the MTC.
Read the guideLDS Missionary Packing List
Everything worth packing, in the order you should buy it, and the things most missionaries wish they had left at home.
Read the guideWhat to Bring to the MTC
The quick answer first, then the detail: what you actually need on arrival day and what can stay in the suitcase.
Read the guideVisa and travel arrangements are handled through your Missionary Portal and the Church’s travel office. Follow their instructions rather than any third-party summary, including this one.
Mission tools
Both tools are free, run entirely in your browser, and open with the South Africa Durban Mission already selected.
Know your mission dates?
Enter the start and expected return dates for days served, days remaining and the halfway point — then download a shareable countdown card.
Create a CountdownPrintable countdown map
Turn the mission length into a free printable countdown map of South Africa, with one numbered square for each mission day to colour in.
Create a Countdown MapCalled to the South Africa Durban Mission?
Set up your mission before you leave. Add the South Africa Durban Mission and your dates to Missionary Tracker so your family has one private place to follow your countdown, current serving area and updates once your mission begins.
Free on iPhone and Android. Profiles are shared by join code, not published anywhere.
Create Mission CountdownExplore all 5 LDS missions in South Africa
Mission boundaries, assignments and instructions change; always use current information from the Church and your Missionary Portal.