Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Groundbreaking Ceremony

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Durban South Africa Temple was held on Saturday, April 9, 2016. Elder Carl B. Cook of the Seventy and president of the Africa Southeast Area presided, joined by other Church leaders, dignitaries, and community leaders. "Today the ceremonial shovels will turn the soil, and the construction of the temple will begin," said Elder Cook. "We can likewise begin building. We can build our personal lives in preparation for the temple. Today we can increase our faith, we can increase our obedience to God, and serve Him more fully."¹

Temple Site

The Durban South Africa Temple will be constructed on a hillside property near the ocean and the N2 highway in the Izinga development of Umhlanga Rocks, just north of Durban. Umhlanga is one of the fastest growing cities in South Africa, which enjoys a low crime rate and is known for having the largest shopping mall in the southern hemisphere—the Gateway Theatre of Shopping.

Temple Announcement

On October 1, 2011, President Thomas S. Monson announced the construction of a temple in Durban, South Africa, in the opening session of the 181st Semiannual General Conference.²

The nation of South Africa has 12 stakes, 4 districts, and 1 operating temple in the city of Johannesburg, over 350 miles (570 kilometers) northwest of Durban. The city of Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. With a metropolitan population of almost 4.5 million people, it is the country's third largest city, behind Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Temple Facts

The Durban South Africa Temple was the fifth temple built in Africa and the second built in South Africa, following the Johannesburg South Africa Temple (1985).