Southern

The area comprises of following suburbs from City Hall in the centre of the City to Umlazi in the South. Described as City Centre, Medwood and Esplanade - Botha Gardens, Albert Park, the suburbs Congella, Ambala, Maldon Wharf, Bluff, Marinade, Easterville, Montclair, Woodlands, Hillary, Bellair, Umlazi.

Some of the interesting parks either found in the Southern Division are:

MEDWOOD GARDENS Season displays and carpet bedding schemes throughout the year. During the Anglo-Boer war Medwood Gardenswas used as a military depot by the Royal Navy and British army. Medwood Gardens is named after the great Natal botanist Dr John Medley Wood.

FRANCIS FAREWELL SQUARE Historic statues of past people who left a major impact on the development of Durban or South Africa.

VICTORIA EMBANKMENT 100 Year old coconut palms, Vasco Da Gama clock and monument as well as Dick King Statue. Albert Park, the oldest park in Durban named after Prince Albert husband of Queen Victoria.

CONGELLA PARK During the siege of Port Natal in 1842, the camp of Commandant General A W Pretorius stood in this vicinity. On the evening of the 23 May 1842, the Voortrekkers repulsed an attack by the British forces under the command of Captain T C Smith at Congella. This lead to Dick King's ride to Grahamstown to obtain reinforcements.

BLUFF CONVERVANCY The largest suburb of Durban with entire Bluff slopes protected as natural Coastal Bush. Ansteys Beach and Brighton Beach are well known swimming and recreation areas.

UMLAZI The second largest residential area apart from Soweto. New developments taking place are Parks, Open Spaces, Recreational Sports fields and Centres currently being developed.

RECREATIONAL FACILITIES To be found in the Southern areas include soccer, rugby, tennis, jukski, hockey, swimming, cricket.

BLUFF SHOWGROUNDS For hire from the Parks Department for sports, fetes, church services, fun fairs, etc - telephone 2051408 for details

BRAISWICK PARK It is from this site that nearly 2000 passive resisters went to prison in a peaceful and non-violent struggle during 1946-1948. The historic property at the corner of West and Church Streets, with the wild Giant leaf Fig (Ficus lutea) trees there on bounded by the Publicity Bureau and City Baths, is a national monument. This property forms an important part of the historic site of the first white settlement, west of Port Natal. The erf is one of the few open spaces in the city centre of Durban and with its indigenous trees, it constitutes an important aesthetic element. 

CLAIRWOOD QUARRY
The Quarry was mined from 1920 until 1997, evolving from a hill to an excavation 65m below ground level. The umHlatuzana river has been diverted into the site to form a 95 000 m2 lake area. Passive recreation activities attract visitors as well as a healthy diversity of aquatic bird life. Marine fossils occur in the locality although most examples are hidden underwater.