Berea, Durban

Berea
Berea Show map of KwaZulu-Natal Berea Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 29°51′03″S30°59′35″E / 29.85083°S 30.99306°E / -29.85083; 30.99306
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
Municipality	eThekwini
Area [1]
• Total	24.68 km2 (9.53 sq mi)
Population  (2011) [1]
• Total	102,920
• Density	4,200/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
•  Black African	41.3%
•  Coloured	4.6%
•  Indian/Asian	26.1%
•  White	26.5%
• Other	1.5%
First languages (2011) [1]
•  English	61.0%
•  Zulu	22.2%
•  Xhosa	3.7%
•  Afrikaans	3.6%
• Other	9.4%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	4001
PO box	n/a
Area code	031

The Berea is a ridge above the city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on the northern side which overlooks the city centre and the Indian Ocean. Berea is also used as a collective designation for the suburbs in the area. ^[2] It has been described as the area between the Howard College Campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Burman Bush Nature Reserve.

Some of the oldest mansions in Durban were built in this once-forested area. Today, many of these have been converted into offices or made way for apartment buildings. The Berea was once the most expensive real-estate area in the province but is now third to uMhlanga and Durban North.

The two main areas of the Berea are Musgrave, Bulwer, and upper Glenwood, which are separated by the N3 national route that leads into the city centre. A related neighbouring area designation is Overport. The Berea borders the orange-roofed^{[ citation needed ]} Durban suburb of Morningside.

Places of interest include Mitchell Park and the Durban Botanic Gardens; and the Howard College campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Durbanites who have called Berea their home include cricketer Andrew Hudson, radio personality Alan Khan, and TV presenter Imraan Vagar.^{[ citation needed ]}

Since the early twentieth century, the suburb has been home to the Durban United Hebrew Congregation. ^{[3] [4]}

In popular culture

Berea in the 1950s is described by the writer Alan Paton in the novel Ah, but Your Land Is Beautiful as being notable for its "stately indigenous trees".

Geography

The Berea borders on the uMngeni River to the north, Springfield to the north-west, Stamford Hill and Durban Central to the east, KwaKhangela and Bayhead to the south-east, Sea View, Glenmore and Carrington Heights to the south, uMkumbaan to the south-west and Wiggins, Bonela, Cato Crest and Sparks to the west.

Demographics

In the 2001 Census, data was provided for the individual sub-places of Stellawood, Umbilo, Glenwood, Bulwer, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Musgrave, Greyville, Berea North, Overport, Sydenham, Essenwood, Morningside, and Windermere, all of which were classified under the main place of Durban. However, by the time of the 2011 Census, these areas—excluding Essenwood— were consolidated into a single sub-place known as “Berea,” still under the main place of Durban. Consequently, the 2011 Census does not offer disaggregated data for the individual suburbs that make up the Berea (except Essenwood). ^{[5] [6]}

Education

Schools situated in the Berea include

• Clarence Primary School
• Clifton School
• Durban Girls' College
• Durban Girls’ Secondary School
• Durban High School
• Glenwood High School
• Glenwood Preparatory School
• Hartley Road Primary School
• Hunt Road Secondary School
• Maris Stella School for Girls
• Penzance Primary School
• St. Henry's Marist Brothers' College

Retail

Berea is primarily a residential area, featuring several shopping centres throughout the area, such as:

• Berea Centre, Bulwer ^[7]
• City View Shopping Centre, Greyville ^[8]
• Davenport Square, Bulwer ^[9]
• Glenwood Village Shopping Centre, Bulwer ^[10]
• Musgrave Centre, Musgrave ^[11]
• Queensmead Mall, Umbilo ^[12]
• The Atrium, Overport ^[13]
• Windermere Centre ^[14]

Safety

In terms of policing, the Berea is covered by five SAPS policing precincts including: ^[15]

• Berea: covers Musgrave, western part of Windermere, most of Essenwood and Morningside
• Durban Central: covers eastern part of Windermere
• Mayville: covers western part of Overport, easternmost part of Essenwood, western part of Sydenham and easternmost part of Morningside
• Sydenham: covers most of Sydenham and eastern part of Overport
• Umbilo: covers Bulwer, Glenwood, University of KwaZulu-Natal and Umbilo

Transport

Roads

Key arterial routes in the Berea include:

• N3 (Western Freeway) – connects Durban CBD to the east with Pietermaritzburg to the north-west. The Berea can be accessed from the N3 via the interchanges at Felix Dlamini Road (exit 4), Peter Mokaba Ridge/Masizi Kunene Road (exit 3) and King Dinuzulu Road (exit 2).
• R102 (Umbilo Road; Sydney Road; Umgeni Road) – connects Rossburgh and Mobeni to the south with Avoca to the north via Umbilo, Glenwood, Greyville, Windermere and Morningside.
• M8 (Problem Mkhize Road; Edith Benson Crescent; Botanic Gardens Road; Cleaver Road; Bulwer Road; ZK Matthews Road) – connects Essenwood to the north with Glenwood to the south via Musgrave and Bulwer.
• M13 (King Dinuzulu Road North and South) – connects Durban Central to the east with Sherwood and Westville to the west via Bulwer and Musgrave.
• The M15 (Locksley Drive; Moses Kotane Road; South Road; John Zikhali Road; Gladys Manzi Road) – connects Durban Central to the east with Sherwood to the west via Greyville, Essenwood, Musgrave and Overport.
• M17 (Sandile Thusi Road; Springfield Road) connects Stamford Hill to the east with Springfield to the west via Windermere, Essenwood and Morningside.
• M32 (Rick Turner Road) – connects Maydon Wharf and KwaKhangela to the east with Cato Manor to the west via Glenwood, Umbilo and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

References

1. "Sub Place Berea". Census 2011.
2. Bainbridge, J. (2010). South Africa Lesotho and Swaziland. Lonely Planet Publications. p. 300. ISBN   9781742203751 . Retrieved 14 March 2015.
3. Historic inauguration service at Silverton Road Shul The South African Jewish Report. 27 July 2017
4. Sad end to Durban’s Great Synagogue The South African Jewish Report. 27 February 2017
5. "Census 2001: Main Place: Durban". census2001.adrianfrith.com. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
6. "Census 2011: Main Place: Durban". census2011.adrianfrith.com. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
7. "Berea Centre – Safe, Convenient, Great Value Shopping in Durban" . Retrieved 21 April 2025.
8. "City View Shopping Centre — m.guzzle.co.za". m.guzzle.co.za. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
9. www.davenportsquare.co.za https://www.davenportsquare.co.za/ . Retrieved 21 April 2025.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
10. "Contact". The Glenwood Village. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
11. www.musgravecentre.co.za https://www.musgravecentre.co.za/ . Retrieved 21 April 2025.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
12. Media, Loud Crowd. "Home". www.queensmeadmall.co.za. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
13. "The Atrium Berea". The Atrium Berea. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
14. Media, Loud Crowd. "Home". windermerecentre.co.za. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
15. "Crime Statisticts by Police Precinct in South Africa". www.crimestatssa.com. Retrieved 22 April 2025.