Umhlali eMhlali | |
|---|---|
  Umhlali  Umhlali | |
| Coordinates:29°28′39″S31°13′07″E / 29.47750°S 31.21861°E /-29.47750; 31.21861 | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District | iLembe |
| Municipality | KwaDukuza |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.26 km2 (0.87 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 338 |
| • Density | 150/km2 (387/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 48.2% |
| • Indian/Asian | 14.8% |
| • White | 36.7% |
| • Other | 0.3% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • English | 45.0% |
| • Zulu | 31.7% |
| • Afrikaans | 6.5% |
| • Other | 6.1% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 4390 |
| PO box | 4390 |
Umhlali (Zulu:eMhlali) is a village on theNorth Coast of theKwaZulu-Natal province ofSouth Africa, just inland fromSalt Rock and approximately 50 km north-east ofDurban. The name of the village, "Umhlali" derives from theZulu name of the Monkey Orange tree - a small semi-deciduous tree that is predominant along the banks of the uMhlali River, north of the village.[2]
The village of Umhlali, was established by British and Scottish Byrne settlers in 1850 and was originally Fort William, as it was the site of a fort.[4]
It was later renamed Umhlali which is theZulu name for theMonkey Orange tree, which grew plentifully along the banks of the uMhlali River but it was also locally referred to it as the “place of waiting” because settlers and locals would have to wait on the banks before crossing the river on a northward journey.
At that time, the nearby coastal town ofBallito was a small coastal village consisting of a few beach shacks whilst Umhlali was the hub of the farming community with the heart of the village being the bustling main road (the currentR102 route) consisting of a bank, post office, supermarket, hairdresser, car dealership, farmers’ co-op and the Lali Hotel. Until the new retail developments launched in Ballito, Umhlali was initially one of the only places in theDolphin Coast locally to buy groceries, collect post, do banking, fill up with petrol and go to school.
A significant landmark in Umhlali, Umhlali Preparatory School, which opened its doors on 11 February 1918, still exists alongside theR102 main road and is still a highly esteemed and popular school on theDolphin Coast today.[5]
Today Umhlali still remains a quaint farming village, mostly supported by the surrounding sugarcane farms and industry and has remained largely unaffected by the rapid urban growth in the nearby Ballito/Shaka’s Rock/Salt Rock area.
Umhlali consists of a post office, petrol station, Coastal Farmer's Co-Op, a small lifestyle centre named Sugar Village, small cafes and restaurants, automotive services and agricultural stores amongst other facilities.[6][7][8]
Located in the hilly countryside, Umhlali lies just south of the uMhlali River after which it is named after. The village is positioned approximately 3 km south ofShakaskraal (north of the uMhlali River), 3 km west of the coastal village ofSalt Rock and 9 km north-west of the coastal town ofBallito.[9]
Umhlali also forms part of the Dolphin Coast which incorporates Ballito,Shaka’s Rock, Salt Rock,Sheffield Beach,Tinley Manor Beach,Zinkwazi Beach and Shakaskraal.
The mainMetrorail route betweenDurban in the south-east (viaoThongathi) andKwaDukuza in the north-east (viaShakaskraal), known as the North Coast Line, has a station in the village, namely the Umhlali railway station.
Umhlali lies at the junction of theR102 and Salt Rock Road. The R102 bisects the village in a north–south direction, connectingShakaskraal withoThongathi, while Salt Rock Road connects Umhlali withSalt Rock to the east and provides access to theN2 highway which runs north–south fromKwaDukuza toDurban.
Municipalities and communities ofILembe District Municipality,KwaZulu-Natal | ||
|---|---|---|
District seat:Stanger (KwaDukuza) | ||
| Mandeni | .svg) | |
| KwaDukuza | ||
| Ndwedwe | ||
| Maphumulo | ||