Amanzimtoti, KwaZulu-Natal

Amanzimtoti is a coastal town just south of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. According to local legend, when the Zulu king Shaka led his army down the south coast on a raid against the Pondos in 1828, he rested on the banks of a river. When drinking the water, he exclaimed "Kanti amanzi mtoti" (isiZulu: "So, the water is sweet"). The river came to be known as Amanzimtoti ("Sweet Waters"). The Zulu word for "sweet" is actually "mnandi", but, as Shaka's mother had the name Nandi, he invented the word "toti" to replace "mnandi" out of respect not to wear out her name.

Amanzimtoti is renowned for its warm weather and its beaches. It is a popular tourist destination and is also very popular with surfers. Many South Africans flock here during thesummer to get away from it all. It has a mall, arcades and a water park.

Amanzimtoti made the international news when on December 23rd, 1985, during the peak of the Christmas shopping season, MK cadre Andrew Sibusiso Zondo detonated a bomb in a rubbish bin at the Sanlam shopping centre in an act of anti-Apartheid terrorism. Five people died in the blast and more than forty were injured.

There are well established sports facilities in Amanzimtoti, situated at Hutchison park. Included is a tennis-, squash-, cricket-, rugby-, soccer-, cycling- and bowls club.

External links

* [http://www.inyonirocks.co.za/ Informative website hosted by a local accommodation establishment]

* [http://www.amanzimtoti.org/ www.amanzimtoti.org provides information relevant to the local and internet community as well as for travelers visiting Amanzimtoti]