Area Profiles

The city of Durban is rich in culture, warmth and personality. The view of the city skyline with the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium arch rising from the bay on a crisp blue afternoon is breathtaking. There are miles of gorgeous beaches and vegetation-dense inland hills rising behind the city borders, when the need to get out and explore beckons. This raw beauty has guaranteed that Durban has and always will be a favoured destination for both local and international visitors. The city’s warm climate and beautiful beaches are a major attraction for locals, holidaymakers and tourists alike. As the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal, Durban is one of the country’s...

Durban North is an established and sought-after suburb north of Durban that offers sea and city views. This family-oriented area offers residents excellent schools, shopping, entertainment and medical facilities. It is also conveniently located near renowned hospitals in Umhlanga and Durban. The Japanese Gardens and Umgeni Bird Park are popular family destinations and the beach is an easy drive for residents.

Gillitts is a small residential suburb located about 35 km inland from Durban's city centre at an elevation of 1 800 feet above sea level. Gillitts originated as an extensive farm that extended over the whole of the Upper Highway area, but over time, the farm was sold off and today only the 100-year-old farmhouse remains. Although Durban is semi-tropical and very humid, Gillitts is above the humidity and is not humid, except when it is in the clouds, which generally occurs in summer.  It is positioned near the burgeoning Hillcrest and Kloof and the whole area is known as the Upper Highway Area as the M13 highway intersects it. The area of Gillitts extends along...

The Upper Highway area, west of the city of Durban, includes the main suburbs of Kloof and Hillcrest as well as the smaller areas of Assagay, Botha’s Hill, Forest Hills, Gillitts, Waterfall and Winston Park. The area offers a country lifestyle with undulating hills, valleys and gorges and plenty of wide open spaces. Kloof borders the 500-hectare Krantzkloof Nature Reserve that cuts through a ravine along which the Molweni River runs and cascades into intermittent waterfalls. The reserve is rich in birdlife and beauty. Homes in the area are large with leafy gardens and lovely views. Hillcrest is just as stunning in natural beauty and is home to a number of...

The Midlands - the heart of KwaZulu-Natal - stretches from Pietermaritzburg to the Drakensberg. It is a relatively easy drive from Durban and Johannesburg and offers a safe, relaxed, peaceful and scenic country lifestyle surrounded by rolling hills, indigenous forests, streams, dams, forests and an abundance of wide open space. For anyone wanting to experience the Midlands country life, there is something to fulfil every wish: compact units in secure sectional title estates, large free standing family homes, lifestyle smallholdings, large productive farms or luxury retire-in-style units in one of Howick's many retirement villages. For families wishing to make a...

The Upper Highway area, west of the city of Durban, includes the suburb of Kloof, offers a country lifestyle with undulating hills, valleys and gorges and plenty of wide open spaces. Kloof borders the 500-hectare Krantzkloof Nature Reserve which cuts through a ravine along which the Molweni River runs and cascades into intermittent waterfalls. The reserve is rich in birdlife and beauty. Homes in the area are large with leafy gardens and lovely views. There is so much to do in the Upper Highway area. From visiting the many reserves – Krantzkloof, Shongweni, Springside – to mountain biking in the Giba Gorge. The Shongweni Nature Reserve is one of the top...

The N3 freeway from Pietermaritzburg, through Howick and Mooi River, connects the Midlands to the rest of South Africa. Howick is located approximately 1 hour from Durban and 5 hours from Johannesburg/Pretoria, this area has seen a revival as the destination of choice. Not only a retirement option, but as lifestyle choice. While the elderly have made Howick their haven, the Midlands is not for the golden oldies alone. Commuters are within easy reach of Durban, Johannesburg and beyond either by road or air, with daily flights out of Pietermaritzburg. Young economically active families are also talking advantage unrivalled quality of life and extensive choice of...

Phoenix is situated northwest of central Durban, KZN. It was established as a township in 1976. It is associated with the Phoenix Settlement, built by Mahatma Gandhi. Today Phoenix is the largest “Indian” town in South Africa. Residential areas surrounding Phoenix are Verulam, Ottawa, Mount Edgecombe, Broadlands, Avoca Hills, Effingham etc. All are close to strategic business, commercial and industrial growth nodes that have evolved along with the new King Shaka International Airport, Phoenix Industrial Park, Riverhorse Valley and the Dube Tradeport are important sources of investment and employment. The Phoenix Plaza, Gem City, Starwood Mall,...

Pinetown is a middle to upper class suburb situated between Westville and Kloof. It was originally established around the Wayside Hotel in 1850 as this was a stop-off point along the main wagon route between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It was named after the Governor of Natal at the time, Sir Benjamin Pine. The area used to be perceived as a light industrial town but in recent times this has changed and Pinetown has gained a good reputation in the property market because of its affordability. It is now regarded as a fully-fledged residential suburb with everything needed to service families from schools, sports facilities and upmarket shopping complexes. Property in...

Queensburgh has grown in popularity mainly because of its great location, it includes as many as ten suburbs. Situated south west of the City of Durban it is centrally located to the southern industrial suburbs and Pinetown’s industrial areas and just a short drive from the Pavilion shopping centre, Pinetown, Chatsworth, central Durban. Accessibility to the main highways is good with the M7/ N2 /N3 highways all being within easy reach. The Queensburgh area developed when early settlers wanted to escape from the humidity of the coast and so they headed to the inland hills. In 1924 four residential suburbs in the area being Malvern, Escombe, Northdene and Moseley...