Large township Inanda is located around 24 kilometres inland and to the northwest of Durban. The township of Inanda is the closest to the east bank of the dragon-shaped Inanda Dam. It shares boundaries with Phoenix to the east and Ntuzuma and KwaMashu to the south. The township is separated into smaller townships or villages, including Inanda Glebe, Amaoti, and Emachobeni, as well as Inanda Newtowns A, B, and C.
Inanda was built in the 1800s as a “reserve” for Africans, while there were also many Indians there up until 1936. After that, it was declared a “released area” for only Africans to use, and the Indians, who had coexisted peacefully with Africans for years, were forcibly removed.
It hasn’t been a big part of Durban’s tourism strategy until recently, but with the creation of the Inanda Heritage Route, visitors are now arriving every day to see the shores of the Inanda Dam, the Ohlange Institute, the Gandhi Settlement, the Inanda Seminary, and the Shembe Church.
Inanda, which is well-known for its high crime rates and significant formal housing shortage, currently has a sizable population of persons with inadequate education who reside below the poverty line. In the township, 25% of homes lack electricity and much more lack access to piped water.
The increased attention in Inanda has made some improvements. Access roads have been developed, and historical locations of interest have been upgraded. Some locals have gotten involved with the Inanda route’s tourism activities and reaped the rewards as a consequence, such as Sbu’s Tavern near the M25 traffic circle and Mma Mtshali’s beading program on the outskirts of the Inanda Valley.
Locals work as tour operators and guides for the Durban Green Corridor, which plans excursions and events in the vicinity of the Inanda Dam, including bike tours, kayaking on the Inanda Dam, and walking tours through Inanda.