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.[2] It has been described as the area between the Howard College Campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Burman Bush Nature Reserve.

Berea
Berea is located in KwaZulu-Natal
Berea
Berea
Berea is located in South Africa
Berea
Berea
Coordinates: 29°51′03″S 30°59′35″E / 29.85083°S 30.99306°E / -29.85083; 30.99306
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceKwaZulu-Natal
MunicipalityeThekwini
Area
 • Total
24.68 km2 (9.53 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total
102,920
 • Density4,200/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African41.3%
 • Coloured4.6%
 • Indian/Asian26.1%
 • White26.5%
 • Other1.5%
First languages (2011)
 • English61.0%
 • Zulu22.2%
 • Xhosa3.7%
 • Afrikaans3.6%
 • Other9.4%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
4001
PO box
n/a
Area code031

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[citation needed] Durban suburb of Morningside.

Places of interest include shopping malls such as The Atrium (formerly Overport City), Berea Centre, and Musgrave Centre; schools including Clifton School, Durban Girls' College, Durban High School, and Maris Stella; Mitchell Park and the Durban Botanic Gardens; and the Howard College campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Durbanites who have called Berea their home include cricketer Andrew Hudson, radio personality Alan Khan, and TV presenter Imraan Vagar.[citation needed]

Since the early twentieth century, the suburb has been home to the Durban United Hebrew Congregation.[3][4]

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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".

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Sub Place Berea". Census 2011.
  2. ^ Bainbridge, J. (2010). South Africa Lesotho and Swaziland. Lonely Planet Publications. p. 300. ISBN 9781742203751. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  3. ^ Historic inauguration service at Silverton Road Shul The South African Jewish Report. 27 July 2017
  4. ^ Sad end to Durban’s Great Synagogue The South African Jewish Report. 27 February 2017