Doonside, KwaZulu-Natal

Doonside
Doonside is located in KwaZulu-Natal
Doonside
Doonside
Location within KwaZulu-Natal
Doonside is located in South Africa
Doonside
Doonside
Location within South Africa
Coordinates: 30°04′12″S 30°52′16″E / 30.070°S 30.871°E / -30.070; 30.871
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceKwaZulu-Natal
MunicipalityeThekwini
Main PlaceKingsburgh
Area
 • Total
1.06 km2 (0.41 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total
2,596
 • Density2,450/km2 (6,340/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African16.5%
 • Coloured2.3%
 • Indian/Asian4.8%
 • White76.0%
 • Other0.4%
First languages (2011)
 • English57.9%
 • Afrikaans34.3%
 • Zulu5.0%
 • Other2.7%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
4126
PO box
4135
Area code031

Doonside is a small beachside resort suburb in Kingsburgh, some 30 km south-west of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on the South Coast.

At first the siding was called Middleton, after its builder, but to avoid confusion with Middleton in the Cape the name was changed in 1910 to Doonside, after a house called Lorna Doone which overlooked the siding.[2]

Geography

Doonside, together with its inland neighbour Doonheights, forms the northern part of Kingsburgh with both Doonside and Doonheights connected by Seadoone Road. It is bordered by eManzimtoti to the north, Warner Beach to the south, and Doonheights to the west, with the Little aManzimtoti River marking its southern edge.

Retail

The sole shopping centre in Doonside, Kingsburgh Junction, recently opened on 23 July 2026 and is situated at the corner of Seadoone Road and Umfuleni Road, directly opposite the N2/Seadoone Road interchange. The new neighbourhood shopping centre developed by AJ Property Holdings is anchored by Superspar, Woolworths and Dis-Chem and serves Doonside, the greater Kingsburgh area as well as the lower parts of Amanzimtoti.[3]

The shopping centre which was originally announced in March 2021 with an expected completion date of November 2023, had faced several development approvals, community objections and construction delays. It was then expected to open on 26 March 2026 and 25 June 2026, with a final set date of 23 July 2026.[4][5][6][7]

Transport

Rail

Doonside and its railway station lie on the railway line between Durban and Kelso, referred to as the South Coast Line, which is mainly operated by the commuter railway service of Metrorail.

Roads

Doonside lies alongside the N2 freeway, with direct access provided by the off-ramps at Seadoone Road. The R102 (Andrew Zondo Road) forms the suburb’s primary local route, running parallel to the coastline and connects it to Amanzimtoti, Warner Beach and Winklespruit.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Sub Place Doonside". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 141.
  3. ↑ Mungroo, Sundeeka (27 July 2026). "New shopping centre opens its doors in Amanzimtoti - Here's what's inside". The South African. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "Kingsburgh Junction Shopping Centre: A Catalyst for Growth on the South Coast". Legacy Real Estate Group. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  5. ↑ Mthalane, Vusi (17 March 2025). "Blame game over Doonside burst pipes and soil erosion". South Coast Sun. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  6. ↑ Mthalane, Vusi (13 September 2023). "New Doonside mall awaits final approvals". South Coast Sun. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  7. ↑ Mthalane, Vusi (20 February 2022). "New Doonside mall to finalise applications". South Coast Sun. Retrieved 23 April 2025.