eMdloti Umdloti | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 29°40′S31°07′E / 29.667°S 31.117°E | |
Country | South Africa |
Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
Municipality | eThekwini |
Area | |
• Total | 1.59 km2 (0.61 sq mi) |
Population (2011) [1] | |
• Total | 1,778 |
• Density | 1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi) |
Racial makeup (2011) | |
• Black African | 12.3% |
• Coloured | 2.2% |
• Indian/Asian | 8.5% |
• White | 76.7% |
• Other | 0.3% |
First languages (2011) | |
• English | 72.7% |
• Afrikaans | 14.3% |
• Zulu | 7.1% |
• Xhosa | 1.7% |
• Other | 4.2% |
Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
eMdloti, alternatively rendered Umdloti and also known as Umdloti Beach, is a small resort village situated along the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, South Africa. It lies at the mouth of the Mdloti River approximately 24 km north-east (14,9 mi) of Durban and 11 km (6.8 mi) north-east of uMhlanga and now forms part of eThekwini, the Greater Durban Metropolitan Municipality. [2]
The name Mdloti is the Zulu word for a species of wild tobacco that grows here.
In November 2009, the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality submitted a list of places in the municipality to the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Geographic Names Committee to be changed from their anglicised names to the correct Zulu spelling. In the list, the village "Umdloti" was to be changed to "eMdloti" which meant the uppercase "U" would fall away and be replaced by a lowercase "e" and the Umdloti River was to be changed to "uMdloti River" which meant the '"U" in the spelling would change from an uppercase to a lowercase. [3]
On 1 October 2010, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture gazette the list of approved name changes which included the village of Umdloti and the Umdloti River. [4] Ever since the name change, the South African National Roads Agency Ltd. (SANRAL) has changed the road signs on the N2 highway leading to and at the M27 Jabu Ngcobo Drive interchange and many news agencies like The Mercury and Northglen News use the spelling "eMdloti", however there are still several road signs that still remain with the spelling "Umdloti" and many Durbanites and residents and businesses of eMdloti still spell the town with its previous spelling. [5] [6]
eMdloti is situated on a large, ancient sand dune that divides the area into upper and lower sections along the coastline. To the north is the uMdloti River, while to the south is the Sibaya Coastal Forest Reserve, with the M4 freeway running alongside to the west. Nearby communities include La Mercy to the north along the uMdloti River, uMhlanga to the south-west, and Waterloo and Verulam to the west.
Situated just ten kilometers north of uMhlanga Rocks, eMdloti is a small, peaceful town nestled within the protection of the Sibaya Coastal Forest Reserve, which shields it from the urban sprawl of uMhlanga and preserves its tranquil, seaside charm. Alongside this idyllic setting, eMdloti features two commercial centres, a post office, and several restaurants, while a natural rock pool by the beach provides a safe swimming area.
eMdloti has a permanent population of around 3,000 people but can increase by as much as tenfold during the Christmas and Easter holiday season. Due to eMdloti's single access road (M27) from the M4/N2 interchanges, the topography, the fact that North and South Beach Roads are both cul-de-sacs and limited public parking, the repercussions of the seasonal holidaymaker influx results in traffic congestion and frequent gridlock, mainly at year-end.
eMdloti is famous for dolphins that swim very close to the beach early morning and July to November is a good time for whale watching when whales are often spotted from the beach.
eMdloti's real estate consists of full title, free-standing homes, mainly on the South Beach and sectional title apartments, located mostly on North Beach. Much of the latter is owned by non-residents as holiday homes or rental properties.
The Sibaya Coastal Precinct is a development located above eMdloti, to the west of the village, and is led by Tongaat Hulett Developments. Once part of the Bellamont Estate sugarcane plantation, the land is now being transformed into a mixed-use area with luxury apartments, offices, retail space, and residences. [7]
The development includes the well-established Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom, owned by Sun International, one of South Africa's largest resort hotel and casino chains, located to the south-west of eMdloti. [8]
eMdloti is accessed by one road, the M27 (Jabu Ngcobo Drive), which begins at the traffic circle on South Beach and heads west toward Verulam. The M27 connects to both the N2 (leading to Durban and King Shaka International Airport) and the M4 (leading to uMhlanga and Ballito), making eMdloti easily reachable from either freeway.
During April 2022, an unusual amount of heavy rainfall struck caused by the La Niña effect struck the eThekwini/Dolphin Coast/Ndwedwe/Umdoni Coast region and eMdloti was one of the worst effect areas of the deadly natural disaster. Several apartment buildings and residences in eMdloti were damaged due to landslides that occurred in the area as a result of the heavy rainfall. [9]
This was largely due to two factors, the geographical location of eMdloti and the neighbouring Salta Sibaya development. eMdloti is located on ancient high/steep sand dunes which have a high clay component therefore making the area susceptible to mass movements like solifluction or landslides. [10] At the same time, residents allegedly claimed the neighbouring development of Salta Sibaya part of the greater Sibaya Coastal development which sits on top of the dune/hill is to blame for the extensive damage that occurred in eMdloti during heavy rainfalls. [11]
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 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.
Mount Edgecombe or Mt Edgecombe is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, situated just north of Durban, which forms part of eThekwini, the Greater Durban Metropolitan area. Much of the suburb is cordoned off as a gated settlement comprising resorts, golf courses and a retirement home. It was previously a sugar growing area. The population increased by 89% between 2001 and 2011 from 3,874 to 7,323. Its name is derived from Mount Edgcumbe House in Cornwall, England, the family seat of the Earls of Mount Edgcumbe.
oThongathi, previously and still commonly known as Tongaat, is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Durban and 28 kilometres (17 mi) south of KwaDukuza. It now forms part of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, or the Greater Durban area. The area is home to the oldest Indian community in South Africa, having been where the first indentured Indian laborers settled in 1860 to work in the sugar-cane plantations. Much of the architectural style in the town was the work of Ivan Mitford-Barberton, and many buildings are in the Cape Dutch style of architecture.
Verulam is a town 24 kilometres north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and forms part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, governing the Greater Durban metropolitan area.
The R102 is a Regional Route in South Africa. It is the route designation for all old sections of the N2, thus it is a discontinuous road that resumes in areas where a new N2 has been constructed.
The N2 is a national route in South Africa that runs from Cape Town through George, Gqeberha, East London, Mthatha, Port Shepstone and Durban to Ermelo. It is the main highway along the Indian Ocean coast of the country. Its current length of 2,255 kilometres (1,401 mi) makes it the longest numbered route in South Africa.
Bluff or The Bluff is a geographical area, containing eight suburbs in Durban, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The Bluff forms a large part of the South Durban Basin, a sub-region located south of Durban.
The Ohlanga River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, which empties into the Indian Ocean just north of uMhlanga, north of Durban. The river has extensive reed beds in the estuary at its mouth, which is only 7 km southwest from the mouth of the uMdloti River. Presently, this river is part of the Mvoti to Umzimkulu Water Management Area.
Durban North is an area to the north of Durban in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Durban North lies between the N2 freeway and the eastern seashore, with the Umgeni River forming its southern boundary. It has residential suburbs that are some of Durban's most affluent and is flanked by La Lucia in the north.
uMhlanga, alternatively rendered Umhlanga, is a residential, commercial and resort town north of Durban on the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, which was created in 2000 and includes the greater Durban area. The name means "place of reeds" in the Zulu language, and the correct pronunciation of "hl" in uMhlanga is similar to the Welsh "ll".
La Lucia is a wealthy suburb located in uMhlanga in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa and is situated approximately 14 kilometres north of the Durban CBD. It was named after Lucia Michel. She and her husband Albert Michel founded the sugar cane farm La Lucia.
The M4 is a north–south metropolitan route in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and partially in the KwaDukuza Local Municipality, South Africa. It runs from the N2 at the defunct Durban International Airport to Ballito via the Durban Central Business District (CBD) and uMhlanga. The sections between the airport and the southern edge of the CBD, and between the northern edge of the CBD and the exit to uMhlanga are classified as freeway. On the section from the southern edge of the CBD to the Bram Fischer Street/Soldier's Way junction, the M4 is cosigned with the R102.
The KwaZulu-Natal South Coast is a region along the southern stretch of coastline of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, south of the coastal city of Durban.
The KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, better known as the North Coast is a coastal region north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It stretches from Zinkwazi Beach in the north to Zimbali near Ballito in the south. The coastal region is governed by the KwaDukuza Local Municipality, forming part of the iLembe District Municipality.
The M27 also known as Jabu Ngcobo Drive or Old Inanda Road is a metropolitan route in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa linking Inanda to Verulam and eMdloti, north of Durban.
Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom is an entertainment complex situated just north of uMhlanga and south-west of eMdloti on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Westbrook, also known as Westbrook Beach is a coastal village on the North Coast of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) north-east of Durban and 7 kilometres (4 mi) east of oThongathi.
The Sibaya Coastal Precinct, simply known as Sibaya, is a new mixed-use development situated in eMdloti, on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.