nostalgia*
P
roviding the town of Durban with sufficient water for its growing population was a challenge from the late 19th century. A dam was built on the Umbilo river in Paradise Valley, but it washed away in a flood in 1905. As more and more people settled along the highway west of the town, the problem became greater. From the mid-1960s the town’s water came from Midmar, but that soon proved inadequate. In the early 1980s it was decided by the central Department of Water Affairs to dam the Mngeni River at Inanda. The labourers for the project were housed near the site of the proposed wall, but professional and technical staff lived in a cluster of mobile homes at Cumec Park in Waterfall – where a variety of amenities was provided for them. The building of the dam would dislodge 4 500 people in the valley, especially from the communities of Maphepheteni, KwaNgcolosi and Maqadini. Unfortunately the preparation for this disruption was inadequate and created considerable resentment among locals, some of whom were moved out of the valley altogether. Meanwhile, however, local archaeologists moved into the area to search for evidence of early human settlement in the valley, soon to be made entirely inaccessible. Their reports have contributed a great deal to our understanding of the past of the region. In addition, Gavin Whitelaw of the Natal Museum has developed a detailed picture of the early African settlement in the area, going back a thousand years. The Department of Water Affairs funded and supported the archaeological rescue project
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The Inanda
DAM ROBIN LAMPLOUGH DELVES INTO THE HISTORY OF THIS LOCAL BEAUTY
between 1986 and 1989, including the use of earth-moving equipment. Gavin christened the spot they excavated “KwaGandaganda” – the tractor place. The dam was officially opened in 1989. The site is overlooked by
Crestholme to the south, and Inanda Mountain to the east. Responsibility for organising and running the resort that would be developed around the dam was given to the Msinsi group, a group which was already managing similar projects in other parts of the province. The Inanda resort offers camping, picnicking, boating and fishing facilities to visitors. Several guest houses are available. Zebra graze peacefully in various spots along the shore. The North American bass, a game fish well known for its fighting capacity, was introduced to the dam, as was carp, another non-indigenous species. Since 1998 there have been regular fishing competitions at Inanda,
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