Wentworth, Durban

Wentworth is a township of Durban, South Africa on the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal. It is located completely inside an area known as the South Durban Basin. The Wentworth area is located near major freeways M4 and M7 is approximately 11 km south of the Durban City Centre.

Contents 1 History 2 Culture 3 Government and Infrastructure 4 Economy 5 Education 5.1 Primary Schools 5.2 Secondary Schools 5.3 Public Libraries 6 Activities 7 References

History

During the years of apartheid, the Group Areas Act divided Durban South into racial districts, sections clearly seen along Tara Road. The nature reserve on this road, Bluff Nature Reserve, divided Wentworth from the Bluff and the “colored” people from the whites. In the 1960s, colored people, mostly renters from other regions, were relocated to the swamps and mostly unoccupied land of Wentworth (also known as Austerville). The lone red brick buildings in the area, once occupied by white military families, were converted into homes for the colored. Affluent colored families could purchase prime real estate on Treasure Beach. The expensive beachfront property was set aside for colored development. An area known as Happy Valley separated Treasure Beach from Tara Road and the Wentworth area. This bushland was the site of many informal settlements and tin shanties. They were soon demolished when the area’s largest oil refineries, Engen and Sapref moved in. Further down Tara Road, past Wentworth, is an area known as Merebank. This is where Indians were relocated. Colored and Indian people were not allowed to move into the white regions. The Groups Area Act was not unique to Durban South. It was found in many cities across the country, and is the reason for many homogenous townships and municipalities.

Culture

The primarily spoken languages in Wentworth and the surrounding areas are English, Zulu, Khosa, Afrikaans, Tamil, and Urdu.

Government and Infrastructure

Wentworth is part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and is served by its current councilor, Aubrey Snyman. Wentworth Hospital is a major government hospital located in the Bluff. The South African Post Office operates the Wentworth and Bluff Post Office on Austerville Road.

Economy

Many inhabitants of Wentworth and the South Durban Basin are employed by the major refineries and factories of South Africa, including Engen, Sapref, and Mondi Group. Despite the fact that Wentworth is a relatively industrialized area, many people in the area live below the poverty line. Furthermore, most families living in poverty struggle with drug and alcohol abuse and an extremely high rate of HIV infection.

Education

Primary Schools

• Assegai Primary: Assegai Primary School was founded in 1961 with the motto “Prosperity, Peace, Progress.” The classrooms that students sit in today, however, were not completed until about twenty years later. The school’s facilities include a computer room, library, and grounds with basketball and netball courts as well as a soccer field. The school begins with grade R and continues until grade 7, with four classes of about forty students per grade (excluding grade R, which has two classes). Each class has one teacher. However, the senior primary (grades 4 through 7) has recently adopted a successful program of specialization in which educators are assigned a subject and move from class to class to teach that particular discipline. Assegai’s students come from many different areas including both the surrounding Wentworth community and the nearby township of Umlazi. They are taught three languages (English, Zulu, and Afrikaans) in addition to the basic subjects such as Mathematics, Arts and Culture, Geography, etc. Learners also have the option to participate in after-school activities such as soccer, baseball, and rugby.
• Austerville Primary founded in 1960.First school for so called mixed races.
• Collingwood Primary
• Durban East Primary
• Gardenia Primary
• Wentworth Primary

Secondary Schools

• Fairvale Secondary
• Interfellowship School
• Umbilo Secondary
• Wentworth Secondary

Public Libraries

Austerville Library is located on Austerville Drive next to the local community hall.

Activities

There are many local soccer, rugby, and cricket leagues. Because of Wentworth’s proximity to the coast, the area is ideal for fishing and recreational swimming.

References

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