About Inanda Township

Inanda Township, Durban

Inanda is a large township roughly 24 km north west and inland of Durban. The closest township to the east bank of the dragon-shaped dam, Inanda Dam, Inanda borders to the east with Phoenix, and to the south with Ntuzuma and KwaMashu.

The township is subdivided into smaller townships or villages – Inanda Newtowns A, B, C; Inanda Glebe, Amaoti and Emachobeni.

Established in the 1800s as a 'reserve' for African people, up until 1936 a large number of Indian people also lived in Inanda. Then it was designated a 'released area' for exclusive use by Africans, and the Indians who had lived harmoniously alongside Africans for years, were unceremoniously evicted.

Until recently it has featured little in Durban's tourism agenda but with the development of the Inanda Heritage Route tourists arrive daily to visit the Ohlange Institute, Gandhi Settlement, Inanda Seminary and the Shembe Church, as well as the shores of the Inanda Dam.

Known for its high crime rates and substantial formal housing backlog, Inanda today has large numbers of inadequately educated people who live below the poverty line. A quarter of households in the township are without electricity and even more live without piped water.

The rise in interest in Inanda has improved some things. The historical sites of interest have been upgraded and access roads built. Some local residents have associated themselves with the tourism activities of the Inanda route and benefited as a result – like Sbu's Tavern close to the traffic circle on the M25, and Mma Mtshali's beading programme on the edge of the Inanda Valley.

Locals are also involved as guides and tour operators for the Durban Green Corridor that organises tours and activities in the Inanda Dam area, like bike rides, kayaking on the Inanda Dam and walking tours through Inanda.