Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (S.Afr.) Durban.

1975		‘Blossom’ in Darling 12 Feb. 119: One thing about january in Durbs [...] the yoomidity [DSAE].
1982		P. Slabolepszy Sat. Night at the Palace (1985) 17: We had this old ’48 Dodge. Real kaffir-taxi. Took the old toppie a whole bladdy day to crack Durbs in that thing. [...] These days you could hop in a Porsche right now you could hit the sea before the sun comes up.
1986		P. Slabolepszy ‘Boo to the Moon’ in Mooi Street (1994) 104: At this rate none of us are ever gonna get back to Durbs.
1996		CyberBraai Lex. at www.matriots.com 🌐 DURBS: A nickname for the great city of Durban. Johannesburg is called ‘Joburg’, sometimes ‘Joeys’ and sometimes ‘Egoli’.
2003		‘SA English’ on Joburg.org.za 🌐 Durbs – Nickname for the city of Durban.
2004		H. Strachan Make A Skyf, Man! 92: Besides, however urgent it may be to get to Durbs and get me shut up again, they’ve had only one small piece of sausage each, with one roll.
2006		C. Miller Salt and Honey 141: You never seen a Chevy before? [...] Just fetched her off the boat in Durbs. Beauty, hey?
2011		IOL News (Western Cape) 12 Apr. 🌐 Special musical brew for Durbs.

2. attrib. use of sense 1.

2001

IOL News (S.Afr.) 14 Apr. 🌐 [headline] Durbs mayor sorry for ‘gays and moffie’ gaffe.