Kloof is a leafy upper-class town, that includes a smaller area called Everton, located approximately 26 km north-west of

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

in KwaZulu-Natal,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

. Once an independent municipality, it now forms part of greater

area of the

eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality created in 2000, that includes the city of Durban, South Africa and surrounding towns. eThekwini is one of the 11 districts of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The majo ...

. The word ''Kloof'' (''cf.'' cleft) means ' gorge' in

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...

and the area is named after the deep ravine formed by the Molweni stream ''(stream of high cliffs)''. The Kloof Gorge is part of the

Krantzkloof Nature Reserve __NOTOC__ The Krantzkloof Nature Reserve, managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, conserves 668 ha Note: This source records the surface area as 535 ha in 1989. of the Molweni ( Zulu: 'mutual greetings') and Nkutu River gorges that incise the sandston ...

. It is a predominantly English-speaking area. Kloof features several upmarket shopping centres and the

Kloof Country Club Kloof is a leafy upper-class town, that includes a smaller area called Everton, located approximately 26 km north-west of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Once an independent municipality, it now forms part of greater Durban area ...

, founded in 1927. It is known as a mist-belt with winding roads and tree-surrounded mansions.

History

Details of the history of Kloof has been written by

Richmond Farm

This part of KwaZulu-Natal was originally a farm 'Richmond', whose survey was ordained by the first Lieutenant-Governor of Colony Sir Martin West, following his 1845 appointment to the post; he also named it, after Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond (

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

, England). The land Kloof occupies formed the Richmond Farm No. 999: this was purchased by William Swan FIELD, the first Collector of Customs (position he held until 1852) for

Natal Colony The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on 4 May 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to ...

, in 1845 for an amount of £245. He was also one of the first Magistrates of

. In 1845 his brother John Coote FIELD and his family settled on the farm, having arrived from the

Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when it united with t ...

on the ''Pilot''. The farm was eventually transferred into J C Field's name by Deed of Transfer in 1867, at a declared value of £1,401 pounds & 10 shillings. The original farmhouse, called Richmond House, was built by J C Field in 1854 to replace an earlier wattle & daub house. The 'Richmond' section of the farm passed to his son John Coote FIELD the Second in 1880 on the occasion of his marriage, who partially demolished the original Richmond House and rebuilt another homestead nearby. J C Field the First died in 1896, and upon the death of his widow in 1901 the Farm was divided amongst the surviving heirs: for each son, for each daughter, and the homestead plus to his youngest son Benjamin Cromwell Colenso FIELD. Current surviving relatives of J C Field still reside in the highway area: John Padley Field (adopted) and his daughter Kathleen Merle Field.

Kloof village

The further subdivisions and sale of portions of Richmond Farm No. 999 by the Field heirs after 1901 resulted in the birth of Kloof as a residential area: numerous plots were sold to wealthy Durban residents and businessmen, who built country house retreats close to the city, but (due to its 550 m above sea level elevation) removed from the Durban humidity and heat. These were particularly favoured by their wives and children during the long hot summer holidays. From the 1890s onwards the appearance of the area therefore changed significantly, from its previous ' sandstone sourveld' grassland to its current heavily wooded flora. Kloof was originally called 'Krantzkloof' by J C Field the First, after the nearby Kloof Gorge, but this name was later changed to 'Kloof' at the special request of the General Manager of the Railways, since due to a name similarity with Kranskop there had been significant confusion and misdeliveries of railway goods: the Railway Station was therefore renamed, and the town with it. The current Station building is a replacement of an earlier one, built in 1896, and it remained operational until the closure of this branch of the Durban- Pietermaritzburg railway line to passenger traffic in the 1970s. The building is now being utilised as a popular bar restaurant; it is also the main terminus of the Umgeni Steam Railway. As roads improved, an increasing number of people began permanently living in Kloof and during the 1960s and 1970s, the development of the traditional Kloof houses occurred. These consisted of large houses that were built on stands of at least . Many of the houses have slate roofs, a swimming pool, small guest houses and tennis courts and they are often tucked away amidst the trees.

Geography

Kloof is mostly located on the Kloof Plateau which lies just above Pinetown. The town extends from the top of Field's Hill and borders Winston Park, Gillitts, Forest Hills and Hillcrest. These suburbs are collectively known as the

Upper Highway Area The Upper Highway Area is a region west of the city of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It includes the main suburbs of Kloof and Hillcrest, as well as the smaller areas of Assagay, Botha's Hill, Forest Hills, Gillitts, Waterfall and Win ...

or the Outer West region of

. Kloof is bordered by Gillitts and Everton in the west, Molweni in the north, Waterfall in the north-west,

Wyebank Wyebank is a settlement located 27 km north-west of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and forms part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality which is the greater Durban metropolitan area. It is surrounded by Ngqungqulu in the north, K ...

in the north-east,

Pinetown Pinetown is a large area that is part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, inland from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Pinetown is situated 16 km west of Durban at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,300 feet (305 to 395 m). History Pi ...

in the east and Winston Park in the south.

Transport

The M13 highway (built in the 1940s) intersects Kloof connecting the town to

, Westville and

to the east and Gillitts, Hillcrest and Pietermaritzburg (via the N3) to the west. As from 16 June this forms part of the route of the annual

Comrades Marathon The Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon of approximately which is run annually in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It is the world's largest and oldest ultramarathon race. The direc ...

, an approximately ultra-marathon run between Pietermaritzburg and

since 1924.

Schools

Kloof has a state school network that consists of Kloof High School, Forest View Primary School, Kloof Senior Primary School, Kloof Junior Primary School and Kloof Pre-Primary School. There are also several private schools located in Kloof including Thomas More College and St Mary's Diocesan School for Girls. In the broader

area Area is the quantity that expresses the extent of a region on the plane or on a curved surface. The area of a plane region or ''plane area'' refers to the area of a shape or planar lamina, while '' surface area'' refers to the area of an ope ...

there is also Highbury Preparatory School in Hillcrest and

Kearsney College Kearsney College is a private boarding, English medium high school for boys in Botha's Hill, a small town between the provincial capital of Pietermaritzburg and Durban, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. History Kearsney Coll ...

in Botha's Hill.

Wildlife

The many trees that define Kloof provide for an abundance of birds, including the

Crowned eagle The crowned eagle, also known as the African crowned eagle or the crowned hawk-eagle (''Stephanoaetus coronatus''), is a large bird of prey found in sub-Saharan Africa; in Southern Africa it is restricted to eastern areas.Sinclair & Ryan (2003) ...

. Other wildlife has been preserved in greenbelt areas such as the

, which includes the Kloof Gorge, and the Everton Conservancy. The Reserve is centered on the main gorge cut by the eMolweni River, and extends in total 532 ha (1,315 ac). It was established by the Natal Parks Board in 1950. The area around the gorge was once the habitat of leopards and a leopard features prominently on the Kloof crest. (The stuffed leopard in the Durban Museum reportedly was shot in the area).

Chacma baboon The chacma baboon (''Papio ursinus''), also known as the Cape baboon, is, like all other baboons, from the Old World monkey family. It is one of the largest of all monkeys. Located primarily in southern Africa, the chacma baboon has a wide vari ...

were once re-introduced to the reserve, but unfortunately, after becoming troublesome, were removed.

Bushpig :''"Bush pig" may also refer to the red river hog. The bushpig (''Potamochoerus larvatus'') is a member of the pig family that inhabits forests, woodland, riverine vegetation and cultivated areas in East and Southern Africa. Probably introduce ...

may also be found in the reserve. Both would likely have formed part of the diet of the leopard. Many porcupine are still present in open areas like the local Kloof and Upper Highway SPCA grounds. Genets are often found in forest areas frequent trees looking for prey.

Climate

Average yearly rainfall is , based on records which date back to 1935. The rainy season is from the October to March summer months, while winters tend to be very dry. Summer temperatures range from , with winter temperatures between .

Botanical gardens

Private botanical gardens which were established by a well-known horticulturalist are now the gardens of a hotel known as the Makaranga Lodge after tall trees planted in the gardens. Visitors are able to arrange guided tours.

The golf course

The

includes a highly rated 18-hole golf course, which was the only golf course outside of Durban for many years. The M13 highway runs parallel to it.

Places of interest

The Krantzview Nature Reserve is also home to popular rock climbing routes which are used by beginners and experts. It is one of the stomping grounds of sport and traditional rock climbing and if you are more of a spectator, the gorge has easily accessible hiking trails that lead to breath-taking views.

Shopping

*Delcairn Centre *Field's Shopping Centre *Maytime Shopping Centre *The Village Mall
Kloof & Upper Highway SPCA
(Tea garden, Nursery, Secondhand shops, Animal Shelter, Trail walks)

Activity centres

(golf course, tennis and squash courts, cricket oval, and facilities) *

and Kloof Gorge *Kloof Methodist Church *Kloof Baptist Church *Kloof Tennis Club *St. Agnes Anglican Church, the church building, dating from the 1950s, was built on a piece of land on the farm section 'Glenholm', owned by T. S. P. Field and donated by him to the

Anglican Diocese of Natal The Diocese of Natal is in the region of Natal, South Africa, the diocese has its northern boundary at the Tugela River. The episcopal leader of the diocese is the bishop of Natal. History The history of the Diocese in the Colony of Nat ...

. *Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church *

Virgin Active Virgin Active is a chain of health clubs in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Italy, Australia, Singapore, Thailand and the United Kingdom. History Virgin Active was founded in 1999. Their first club opened in Preston, Lancashire that year. I ...

gym (formerly Health & Racquet Club)
Kloof Harvest ChurchMemorial Park
(Also known as the dog park)
West Point Church

Famous residents: past and present

Ladysmith Black Mambazo Ladysmith Black Mambazo are a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of '' isicathamiya'' and '' mbube''. They became known internationally after singing with Paul Simon on his 1986 album '' Graceland'', and have won ...

* Peter Brown, politician *Sir William Firth *Sir Guy Hulett, sugar baron *

Marguerite Poland Marguerite Poland (born 3 April 1950, Johannesburg) is a South African writer and author of eleven children's books. Early life When she was two years old, the Poland family relocated to the Eastern Cape where she spent most of her format ...

, author * Bobby Skinstad,

Springbok The springbok (''Antidorcas marsupialis'') is a medium-sized antelope found mainly in south and southwest Africa. The sole member of the genus ''Antidorcas'', this bovid was first described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm ...

rugby player *

BJ Botha Brendon James Botha, better known as BJ Botha (born 4 January 1980) is a South African former rugby union player. He played as a prop. Professional career Sharks Botha played in the Currie Cup and Super 14 the Sharks. He played in all 13 Su ...

, Springbok rugby player *

Mike Hoare Thomas Michael Hoare (17 March 1919 – 2 February 2020), known as Mad Mike Hoare, was a British mercenary soldier who operated during the Simba rebellion, and attempted to conduct a coup d'état in the Seychelles. Early life and military car ...

, Irish mercenary * Alan Paton, writer and leader of the

Liberal Party of South Africa The Liberal Party of South Africa was a South African political party from 1953 to 1968. Founding The party was founded on 9 May 1953 at a meeting of the South African Liberal Association in Cape Town. Essentially it grew out of a belief that ...

in the 1960s and 1970s * Simon Lessing, world triathlon champion *

Wally Hammond Walter Reginald Hammond (19 June 1903 – 1 July 1965) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Gloucestershire in a career that lasted from 1920 to 1951. Beginning as a professional, he later became an amateur and was appointed cap ...

England and Gloucester cricketer died in Kloof 1 July 1965

References

Sources

* *''The Highway Mail'', 1 June 2011. *''The Hilltop'', 2 June 2011. *''Independent Electoral Commission (South Africa)'', 9 June 2011.

External links

Kloof Community WebsiteKloof Pre-Primary School WebsiteKloof Junior Primary School WebsiteKloof Senior Primary School WebsiteKloof High School WebsiteKrantzkloof Nature Reserve WebsiteKloof Conservancy WebsiteOfficial Councillor WebsiteRotary Club of KloofOur Lady of Mercy Catholic ParishKloof & Upper Highway SPCAMemorial Park
{{Authority control Suburbs of Durban Populated places established in 1903 Climbing areas of South Africa 1903 establishments in the Colony of Natal Afrikaans words and phrases