Ballito is an affluent coastal town located in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Ballito is about 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Durban and 24 kilometres (15 mi) south of KwaDukuza. It forms part of the KwaDukuza Local Municipality, and iLembe District Municipality. Dolphins and Whales are common on this stretch of the North Coast shoreline, hence the nickname Dolphin Coast. The name of the town Ballito is named after the Italian word for "small ball".

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Ballito
Ballito Beach
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Coordinates: 29°32′S 31°13′E
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	iLembe
Municipality	KwaDukuza
Area [1]
• Total	22.16 km2 (8.56 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	19,234
• Density	870/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
• Black African	50.6%
• Coloured	1.2%
• Indian/Asian	5.7%
• White	42.0%
• Other	0.4%
First languages (2011) [1]
• English	42.7%
• Zulu	27.1%
• Xhosa	14.9%
• Afrikaans	9.3%
• Other	6.0%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	4420
PO box	4420
Area code	032

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Prior to 1 December 2023, vehicle registration plates in Ballito started with NT - N for Natal, T for Lower Tugela, a river that lies about 45 kilometres to the north.

The town was established in 1954 as a private township, by the Glen Anil Development Corporation/Investments which was headed up by Dr Edward (Eddie) Rubenstein (1903–1972). The town's name was borrowed from a glossy advert for Ballito hosiery made by Ballito Hosiery Limited of St. Albans, England.^{[citation needed]} The area was originally portion of a sugar cane farm at Compensation Beach owned by Basil Townsend.

The Sunday Tribune printed in 1954 an advert for Ballito Bay inviting potential investors to the North Coast with prices of land from R790.00 (395 SA Pounds). By 1964 the zonings for Ballitoville's residential buildings, hotels and a caravan park had already been incorporated into the town plan known as Compensation Beach and this area stretched out from Willard Beach to Clark Bay, Salmon Bay and Port Zimbali. A brochure with the first marketing pictures of Ballito, was put out to attract the holiday makers to invest in the area with the slogan: "Buy, Build & Play at Ballito Bay, The Caribbean of the North Coast – Natal". Ballito, Salt Rock and Shaka's Rock are favourite holiday destinations for local South Africans and also foreign tourists on their way to Zululand and the historical battlefields.

Jack Nash (1914–2016) gives a personal history^[2] from the early beginning of Ballito through to 1986 when he left the area and includes a history of some of the early pioneers and characters of the town. These include his father-in-law, Reg Fripp, who built many of the early houses. Jack Nash, who lived until shortly before his death in Amber Valley, Howick, own history includes being the Estate Agent for Glen Anil in Ballito through to him being the Chairman of the Ballito and the North Coast Publicity Associations. Jack's wife Gaye Nash née Fripp, the young ballet dancer holding the "little ball" or ballito above her head in the full page press release to publicise the then new township in the Sunday Tribune of 23 November 1954, still lives in Howick.^[2]

Situated at the gateway to the Dolphin Coast of KwaZulu-Natal and roughly bordered by Shaka’s Rock (north) and Zimbali (south), the coastal area of Ballito is generally undulating with the terrain rising towards the west.

The region of Ballito is sub-divided into various suburbs, namely; Ballito proper, Shaka’s Head, Umhlali Golf and Country Estate, Port Zimbali and Zimbali Coastal Estate and it incorporates the neighbouring coastal villages of Shaka’s Rock, Salt Rock, Umhlali, Sheffield Beach and Tinley Manor Beach.

Today Ballito is a thriving community of its own with ties to primary and high schools in and around Ballito, uMhlanga, KwaDukuza (Stanger) and oThongathi (Tongaat). Ballito has grown exponentially in recent times and has two shopping malls, Lifestyle centre and The Junction.

Ballito has a strong tourism economy, home to a number of family adventure attractions such as the crocodile farm and microlight flights and tours. It is a holiday destination with hotels and self-catering accommodation, swimming (Willard) and surfing beaches (Boulder). A promenade about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) long along the beach front allows for walking and jogging. The Gunston 500 surfing contest, renamed Ballito Pro sponsored by Billabong, has been shifted from the Bay of Plenty in Durban's Golden Mile to Ballito where it is held annually in July.

There are four beaches along the Ballito stretch of beach including the main beach, Willard Beach as well as Salmon Bay Beach (non-swimming), Clarke Bay Beach and Thompson’s Bay Beach. Further north up the coast are the beaches of Salt Rock, Sheffield Beach and Tinley Manor.^[5][6]

In recent years^[when?], there has been a population boom in Ballito. Various secure or gated estates, the largest being Zimbali Estate followed by Simbithi, have been built in and around the town on land that was previously used as sugar cane farms. Many new hotels and resorts have opened, drawing even more tourists into this picturesque part of the KwaZulu-Natal coast. Plans are currently on the table for new schools to be constructed, a new town centre, a taxi rank, and a larger clinic. The main entrance to Ballito from the N2 highway has been upgraded, with the construction of an multi level interchange to ease traffic, the widening of the road to four lanes in Ballito Drive, and proper pedestrian walkways.

Today Ballito and its neighbours, Shaka’s Rock, Salt Rock and Sheffield Beach have virtually merged into one long strip of seaside towns. The Greater Ballito area also includes the nearby settlements of Umhlali, Shakaskraal and Tinley Manor Beach.^[9]

• Ballito beach view
• Ballito beach
• Early morning fishing
• Surfer off Ballito Beach
• Airborne surfer off Ballito Beach

• Max du Plessis, lawyer
• Peter Harker, bishop
• Dianna Stewart, author
• Bobby van Jaarsveld, singer-songwriter