In an 1859 Zulu grammar book, Bishop Colenso asserted that the root word iTeku means "bay of the sea", from the name Mtheku, used by the Thabethe tribes clan, who were the leaders of the Nguni people.

Furthermore the original local inhabitants and noted that the locative form, eTekwini, was used as a proper name for Durban.

[9] As of 2022[9] The municipal council consists of 222 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.

111 councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 111 wards, while the remaining 111 are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.

[10] In the 2021 local government elections, the African National Congress lost their majority on the city council for the first time since the metro's establishment in 2000.