Our Town words MACK MAKHATHINI and KEN MCHUNU | pictures JON IVINS Inanda Heritage Trail: The city’s rough diamond 26 THE TOWNSHIP of Inanda has a rich culture, and a history intertwined with the struggle for freedom in South Africa. By far one of the oldest black settlements located north of Durban, Inanda is regarded as the place where there is more history per square meter than any other in South Africa. Inanda was established in the 1800s as a “reserve” for black people. A substantial local Indian population also resided in the area until 1936, when it was proclaimed a “released area” for exclusive occupation by blacks. And although the area comprises predominantly informal settlements, and has a substantial formal housing backlog, it is home to scores of pioneers of the freedom struggle. Moreover, the tireless activity of those from the preceding generations, who fought tooth and nail to minimise the impact of apartheid on the black majority, saw most of Inanda going down in history books as a tourist attraction. Hence, the demarcation of the Inanda Heritage Trail. The trail has become somewhat the golden goose of Inanda, and rightfully so. Its historic significance has earned the trail global repute, and this has continued to attract scores of visitors from within our national borders and abroad. Through the bleak years of apartheid the spirit of the people of Inanda ensured a continuity of this heritage, and now the air is full of rebuilding and renewal. And with plans to upgrade some of the trail’s facilities for visitors in the pipelines, the trail only promises to get better. John Dube’s grandson, Langa, said they are now promoting homestays as another wing of the trail’s hospitality. “This is where guests would stay with families and be offered a spare room with toilet facilities from a four roomed house,” said Langa. The first call on the trail is the Gandhi Settlement, the place where Mahatma Gandhi worked out his philosophy of passive resistance against injustice – a strategy he used to win freedom from oppression. Gandhi’s original home was destroyed in the anti-apartheid turbulence of the 1980s, but has now been rebuilt at the heart of Inanda and rededicated as a monument to peace and justice. The next stop is Ohlange Institute, the school founded by John Langalibalele Dube, the first president of the African National Congress and founder of Ilanga laseNatali, the very first provincial IsiZulu newspaper – founded in 1903 and run at Ohlange. Dube’s active and go-getter tendencies did not just earn him major achievements alone, but the nickname Mafukuzela, meaning an energetic and industrious person. His typical wattle-and-daub Natal Colonial veranda house, also situated on the prominent hill at Ohlange, was declared a national monument in 1995. This was after former president Nelson Mandela had cast his vote, at Ohlange, in the first democratic elections in the new

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Page 1: Inanda Heritage Trail: The city’s rough diamond › Documents › City_Government › Media... · Inanda Heritage Trail: The city’s rough diamond 26 THE TOWNSHIP of Inanda has

Our Town

words MACK MAKHATHINI and KEN MCHUNU | pictures JON IVINS

Inanda Heritage Trail:The city’s rough diamond

THE TOWNSHIP of Inanda has a richculture, and a history intertwined with thestruggle for freedom in South Africa.

By far one of the oldest blacksettlements located north of Durban,Inanda is regarded as the place where thereis more history per square meter than anyother in South Africa.

Inanda was established in the 1800s asa “reserve” for black people.A substantial local Indian population alsoresided in the area until 1936, when it wasproclaimed a “released area” for exclusiveoccupation by blacks.

And although the area comprisespredominantly informal settlements, andhas a substantial formal housing backlog,it is home to scores of pioneers of thefreedom struggle. Moreover, the tirelessactivity of those from the precedinggenerations, who fought tooth and nail tominimise the impact of apartheid on theblack majority, saw most of Inanda goingdown in history books as a touristattraction.

Hence, the demarcation of the InandaHeritage Trail.

The trail has become somewhat thegolden goose of Inanda, and rightfully so.

Its historic significance has earned thetrail global repute, and this has continuedto attract scores of visitors from within ournational borders and abroad.

Through the bleak years of apartheidthe spirit of the people of Inanda ensureda continuity of this heritage, and now theair is full of rebuilding and renewal. Andwith plans to upgrade some of the trail’sfacilities for visitors in the pipelines, thetrail only promises to get better.

John Dube’s grandson, Langa, said theyare now promoting homestays as anotherwing of the trail’s hospitality. “This is whereguests would stay with families and beoffered a spare room with toilet facilitiesfrom a four roomed house,” said Langa.

The first call on the trail is the GandhiSettlement, the place where MahatmaGandhi worked out his philosophy ofpassive resistance against injustice – a

strategy he used to win freedom fromoppression. Gandhi’s original home wasdestroyed in the anti-apartheid turbulenceof the 1980s, but has now been rebuilt atthe heart of Inanda and rededicated as amonument to peace and justice.

The next stop is Ohlange Institute, theschool founded by John LangalibaleleDube, the first president of the AfricanNational Congress and founder of IlangalaseNatali, the very first provincial IsiZulunewspaper – founded in 1903 and run atOhlange.

Dube’s active and go-getter tendenciesdid not just earn him major achievementsalone, but the nickname Mafukuzela,meaning an energetic and industriousperson.

His typical wattle-and-daub NatalColonial veranda house, also situated onthe prominent hill at Ohlange, was declareda national monument in 1995.

This was after former president NelsonMandela had cast his vote, at Ohlange, inthe first democratic elections in the new