Held on the first Saturday of July at the city’s Greyville racecourse, the 2018 edition had a horology theme that saw revellers incorporate timepiece designs into their outfits.

On the track, meanwhile, all eyes were on jockey Anton Marcus who won the main US$315,000 (268,000 euros) Vodacom Durban July race on his horse “Do it Again”.

“It’s the second time I’m here. I backed number nine in the ninth race,” said Dorine Mokoena, 59, who wore a bright yellow ensemble dotted with flowers.

The event is a favourite of South African politicians including President Cyril Ramaphosa who had been due to attend for the first time as president.

He failed to make it, however, after holding crunch talks with the King of the region’s Zulu nation, Goodwill Zwelithini.

Former president Jacob Zuma, who is Zulu and comes from the KwaZulu-Natal region where Durban is the largest city, was a regular at the Durban July meeting as head of state.

He was unable to attend this year because of the funeral of his son Vusi.