UMZINYATHI DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY
Tourism in Dundee

Custodians of History and Culture Umzinyathi District has a total area of 8 079 square kilometres and is located in the north central areas of KwaZulu-Natal.The District lies between the main N3 corridor between Durban and Gauteng and the Coastal Corridor, running along the east coast. The more developed urban areas include Dundee, which is the administrative seat of Umzinyathi District Municipality, and Greytown. Greytown can be viewed as a strong regional centre with substantial commercial and agricultural activity. In Nquthu and Msinga there is a dominance of the three peri-urban settlements of Tugela Ferry, Pomeroy and Keates Drift.The population densities of these three areas are higher than those of the rest of the area. Endumeni is the only B Municipality that does not have any tribal land. The majority of the land (60%) is under the control of the Ingonyama Trust situated mainly in Nquthu and Msinga. Frost occurs only in parts of uMzinyathi in winter. Most industry in the area is associated with agriculture or hand work (carpets, beadwork) by trained artisans.The use of natural products, water, by aQuellé, is a national brand. The municipal area has extensive grasslands in the north supporting the primary agricultural sector based on cattle ranching for beef, small scale sheep and mixed farming and maize cultivation. In the southern areas substantial forestry is prevalent. Sugar cane and smaller scale fruit farming such as avocado and kiwi fruit cultivation also occur. The area has high potential for growth in agricultural crop production (maize, soybean and sugar cane). In rural areas, particularly at Umsinga and Nquthu, animals are not kept as farming commodities and are seldom slaughtered or sold. There is a need for farmer support programmes to improve stock management. It is important to broaden rural livelihoods through targeted agricultural production. Mineral deposits found in the District include coal and metal ores. A small amount of stone quarrying occurs in the District. The District has in the past been the scene of fierce battles involving the British, Boers and Zulus. The ruins of several forts remain dotted throughout the District e.g. The Battlefields form a vital role in the spatial economy of the Province from a tourism perspective.The revenue from tourism related to the Battlefields is contributing to the District economy, particularly at Endumeni. Visitors to the area are mainly domestic tourists, although some foreign tourists pass through the region en route to other attractions outside the node such as the Drakensburg, Swaziland or the Kruger National Park.The key challenge is to upgrade the economic node’s tourism attractions and improve its accommodation facilities in order to retain a greater share of tourism activity. At Rorke’s Drift, in 1879, a Zulu regiment tried to break through stone walls and makeshift barricades defended by British soldiers from Monmouthshire. The strong traditional culture prevalent particularly in Msinga and Nquthu is a valuable asset that must be preserved and valued. These traditional areas provide support mechanisms for the communities, as well as living custodians of the culture.