- Gallery: South Africa and Indaba 2025
- Visitors to Inanda Township, 21 kilometres northwest of Durban, will find an area rich in the history of resistance and transformation.
- The Phoenix Settlement, established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1904, marks a pivotal site for nonviolent resistance and social justice.
- Ohlange Institute, founded by John Langalibalele Dube in 1901, is recognized as the first Black-controlled school in South Africa.
- Educational institutions like Inanda Seminary have played a crucial role in empowering women through education since 1869.
- The area is a living chronicle of South Africa’s struggle, providing insights into early activism and cultural heritage amidst ongoing challenges.
You come face to face with two giants of world history as soon as you step into Inanda Township, just 21 kilometers northwest of Durban’s city centre. The air echoes of struggle, resilience, and transformation, as this vibrant, predominantly Zulu-speaking community stands as a testament to South Africa’s journey toward freedom.
Inanda, meaning “pleasant place” in isiZulu, is no ordinary township—it’s a cradle of democracy, where the legacies of Mahatma Gandhi, John Langalibalele Dube, and Nelson Mandela intertwine, their shared vision of justice and equality etched into the landscape. A visit here, along the Inanda Heritage Route, is a pilgrimage through time, offering a vivid tapestry of South Africa’s past and present, with stories of resistance and hope unfolding at every turn.
Your journey begins at the Phoenix Settlement, a serene 100-acre oasis founded in 1904 by a young Mohandas Gandhi, then a lawyer fresh from the indignities of racial prejudice. Arriving in Durban in 1893 to represent an Indian client, Gandhi’s life changed forever when he was forcibly removed from a “whites-only” train compartment in Pietermaritzburg. This humiliating experience ignited his philosophy of Satyagraha—nonviolent resistance—which he honed here in Inanda.
At Phoenix, you’ll walk through Gandhi’s modest home, now a museum, where he lived with his family and followers. The International Printing Press, where he published the Indian Opinion to rally against injustice, still stands, its weathered walls echoing his call for dignity. As you explore, guides share how Gandhi’s time in South Africa—21 formative years—transformed him into the Mahatma, a “great soul” whose ideas of passive resistance would later inspire global movements, including India’s fight for independence. The settlement’s communal spirit, rooted in equality and manual labor, feels alive, though the site’s upkeep reflects the neglect it has faced in recent years, with faded signage and a quiet plea for restoration.
Just a short drive away, the Ohlange Institute looms large, a beacon of education and empowerment founded in 1901 by John Langalibalele Dube, affectionately called “Mafukuzela.” Born in Inanda in 1871 to Christian converts, Dube was a visionary—philosopher, poet, and the first president of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), which evolved into the African National Congress (ANC) in 1912. Inspired by Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee Institute, Dube established Ohlange as the first Black-controlled school in South Africa, a radical act in an era of oppression. As you stand in the JL Dube Hall, where Dube’s grave and a bronze statue of Nelson Mandela mark the site, the weight of history settles in. This is where Mandela cast his vote on April 27, 1994, in South Africa’s first democratic election, a moment he described as a tribute to Dube’s legacy. “I have come to report, Mr. President, that South Africa is now free,” Mandela whispered at Dube’s graveside, a poignant gesture tying their struggles across decades. The institute, though weathered, buzzes with the energy of students and visitors, and Dube’s nearby home, a national monument, offers a glimpse into his life as a friend and philosophical ally of Gandhi, both men united by a deep spirituality and commitment to the marginalized.
The Inanda Heritage Route continues to the Inanda Seminary, founded in 1869 by American missionaries Daniel and Lucy Lindley as the first secondary school for African girls. Its historic buildings, steeped in a legacy of educating trailblazing women like Baleka Mbete and Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, radiate resilience. Nearby, the Ebuhleni Settlement of the Nazareth Baptist Church, established by Isaiah Shembe in 1914, invites you to witness the vibrant rituals of this syncretic faith, blending Zulu traditions with Christianity. The route’s final stop, the picturesque Inanda Dam, offers a moment of reflection, its tranquil waters contrasting the township’s turbulent past.
Inanda’s history is layered with complexity. Once a farming oasis in the 17th century, it became a “Reserve” for Black and Indian communities under colonial rule. By the 1960s, apartheid’s Group Areas Act forced thousands into Inanda, turning it into a dense, informal settlement plagued by poverty and political violence. Tensions flared between African and Indian residents in the 1980s, yet the township’s spirit endured. Today, Inanda pulses with life—600,000 residents, bustling markets like Dube Village Mall, and community radio stations like Inanda FM. But challenges persist: high crime and HIV rates cast shadows, and infrastructure lags despite post-1994 promises.
As you navigate the route, often with a local guide from Durban Tourism or the Ohlange Interpretation Centre, you’ll feel the interplay of Gandhi, Dube, and Mandela’s legacies. Gandhi’s Satyagraha inspired Dube’s advocacy for Black education and Mandela’s early nonviolent campaigns, though Mandela later embraced armed resistance before returning to reconciliation, echoing Gandhi’s forgiveness. Mandela himself acknowledged Gandhi’s influence, noting in 1995 that the young lawyer’s prejudices must be forgiven in the context of his era, as his awakening during the Bambatha Rebellion cemented his commitment to nonviolence. Their shared time in Johannesburg’s Old Fort Prison, decades apart, and their moral conviction—Gandhi’s Ahimsa, Dube’s Ubuntu, Mandela’s rainbow nation—bind them to Inanda’s story.
Visitors should prepare for a raw, unpolished experience. The roads are rough, signage sparse, and sites like Phoenix and Ohlange show signs of neglect, with funding woes threatening their preservation. Yet, the warmth of Inanda’s people, the taste of bunny chow at a local eatery, and the stories shared by guides like Mandla Nxumalo make it unforgettable.
Pair your visit with a stop at the nearby Nelson Mandela Capture Site in Howick, where a striking sculpture commemorates his 1962 arrest, or explore the Valley of 1000 Hills for a taste of Zulu culture. Inanda is not just a destination—it’s a living narrative of South Africa’s soul, where three giants sowed the seeds of freedom, and their vision continues to inspire
