Berea, Durban


The Berea is a ridge above the city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on the northern side which overlooks the city centre and the Indian Ocean. Berea is also used as a collective designation for the suburbs in the area. It has been described as the area between the Howard College Campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Burman Bush Nature Reserve.
Some of the oldest mansions in Durban were built in this once-forested area. Today, many of these have been converted into offices or made way for apartment buildings. The Berea was once the most expensive real-estate area in the province but is now third to uMhlanga and Durban North.
The two main areas of the Berea are Musgrave, Bulwer, and upper Glenwood, which are separated by the N3 national route that leads into the city centre. A related neighbouring area designation is Overport. The Berea borders the orange-roofed Durban suburb of Morningside.
Durbanites who have called Berea their home include cricketer Andrew Hudson, radio personality Alan Khan, and TV presenter Imraan Vagar.

Places of Interest

Places of interest include:

In popular culture

Berea in the 1950s is described by the writer Alan Paton in the novel Ah, but Your Land Is Beautiful as being notable for its "stately indigenous trees".

Geography

The elevation of the Berea reaches approximately 140 to 150 metres above sea level along the length of the Peter Mokaba Ridge and Masizi Kunene Road, straddling Upper Morningside, Overport, upper parts of Musgrave, Westridge, Bulwer and the UKZN Howard College Campus.
Moreover, the Berea extends between Morningside in the north and Umbilo in the south, bordering on the uMngeni River to the north and the following neighbourhoods:

Demographics

In the 2001 Census, data was provided for the individual sub-places of Stellawood, Umbilo, Glenwood, Bulwer, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Musgrave, Greyville, Berea North, Overport, Sydenham, Essenwood, Morningside, and Windermere, all of which were classified under the main place of Durban. However, by the time of the 2011 Census, these areas—excluding Essenwood— were consolidated into a single sub-place known as “Berea,” still under the main place of Durban. Consequently, the 2011 Census does not offer disaggregated data for the individual suburbs that make up the Berea.

Education

Schools situated in the Berea include:

Healthcare

Private Hospitals

Public Hospitals

  • McCord Provincial Eye Hospital, Musgrave
  • St Aidan’s Mission Regional Hospital, Greyville
  • Victoria Mxenge Hospital, Umbilo

Retail

Berea is primarily a residential area, featuring several shopping centres throughout the area, such as:

Safety

In terms of policing, the Berea is covered by five SAPS policing precincts including:

Transport

Roads

Key arterial routes in the Berea include:
  • N3 – connects Durban CBD to the east with Pietermaritzburg to the north-west. The Berea can be accessed from the N3 via the interchanges at Felix Dlamini Road, Peter Mokaba Ridge/Masizi Kunene Road and King Dinuzulu Road.
  • R102 – connects Rossburgh and Mobeni to the south with Avoca to the north via Umbilo, Glenwood, Greyville, Windermere and Morningside.
  • M8 – connects Essenwood to the north with Glenwood to the south via Musgrave and Bulwer.
  • M13 – connects Durban Central to the east with Sherwood and Westville to the west via Bulwer and Musgrave.
  • The M15 – connects Durban Central to the east with Sherwood to the west via Greyville, Essenwood, Musgrave and Overport.
  • M17 connects Stamford Hill to the east with Springfield to the west via Windermere, Essenwood and Morningside.
  • M32 – connects Maydon Wharf and KwaKhangela to the east with Cato Manor to the west via Glenwood, Umbilo and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.