The Durban Diabetes Study (DDS) is a population-based cross-sectional survey of an urban black population in the
eThekwini Municipality (city of Durban) in South Africa. The survey combines health, lifestyle and socioeconomic questionnaire
data with standardised biophysical measurements, biomarkers for non-communicable and infectious diseases, and genetic
data. Data collection for the study is currently underway and the target sample size is 10 000 participants. The DDS has
an established infrastructure for survey fieldwork, data collection and management, sample processing and storage, managed
data sharing and consent for re-approaching participants, which can be utilised for further research studies. As such, the
DDS represents a rich platform for investigating the distribution, interrelation and aetiology of chronic diseases and their risk factors,
which is critical for developing health care policies for disease management and prevention