Inanda

Location Spotlight: Inanda

Durban Film Office | Filmmakers’ Location Guide

The Untold Soul of Durban – Where History, Heritage, and Nature Converge

Rich in political legacy, cultural depth, and natural beauty, Inanda is a powerful, underutilized film location in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal. It’s a place where the struggles and triumphs of South African history unfold against the backdrop of rolling hills, rural homesteads, spiritual landmarks, and vibrant township life. Located just 30 minutes from Durban’s city centre, Inanda offers a truly authentic visual canvas for stories that matter.

Coordinates

📍 Inanda Township / Heritage Route:
Decimal: -29.707818, 30.926643
DMS: 29°42'28.1"S 30°55'35.9"E

Why Inanda is a Hidden Gem for Filmmakers

🏞️ Powerful Visual & Cultural Contrast

• Hillside settlements, traditional homes, and winding dirt roads provide the perfect rural-to-urban transition zone for character journeys or historical transformations.

• Ideal for realism, political dramas, and introspective narratives requiring authentic South African scenery.

🕊️ Historical Depth – The Inanda Heritage Route

• Home to several iconic filming locations:

  • Ohlange Institute, where Nelson Mandela cast his first democratic vote.

  • Inanda Seminary, one of Africa’s oldest boarding schools for girls.

  • The Phoenix Settlement, founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1904.

• These are living monuments, ideal for documentaries, historical dramas, or films about activism, identity, and transformation.

🌍 Vibrant Township Life

• Lively shebeens, bustling taxi ranks, informal traders, and everyday township life—ripe for stories rooted in community, struggle, and resilience.

• Bold, colorful visuals and authentic characters waiting to be captured.

🎥 Unique Look and Feel

• Inanda is raw and real, untouched by overdevelopment, offering a true KwaZulu-Natal narrative.

• Dramatic skies, red soil roads, informal settlements, community schools, and churches all provide visual poetry.

Ideal For

• Period films or biopics set during the apartheid or liberation eras

• Social realism dramas

• Community-focused stories (inspired by shows like Tsotsi, Yizo Yizo, Queen Sono)

• Music videos, photo essays, or international documentaries

• Educational programming or heritage campaigns

Quick Facts

• Location: Northwest of Durban, eThekwini Municipality

• Distance from Durban CBD: ±30–40 minutes

• Nearby Locations: KwaMashu, Ntuzuma, Phoenix, Inanda Dam

• Permit Required: Yes – via Durban Film Office

• Key Landmarks:

  • Ohlange High School & Mandela Voting Site

  • Phoenix Gandhi Settlement

  • Inanda Seminary

• Best Time to Film: Early morning or golden hour for atmospheric lighting over the hills

• Amenities: Local community support, police visibility, cultural tour guides available upon request

Explore Inanda

To tell a story of South Africa’s soul, struggle, and strength, Inanda is not just a location—it’s a living character. Its blend of heritage, humanity, and hope offers a setting no studio can recreate.

Get in touch with the Durban Film Office to arrange permits, location scouts, and partnerships with local heritage organizations.