Beach view of Amanzimtoti
Amanzimtoti has a quaint legend about how it got its name. The legend talks about Shaka, the Zulu king who was leading his army towards the south in 1828. He stopped beside the banks of a river to rest and drink the water. After drinking the water he said, “Kanti amanzi mtoti” which means “so, the water is sweet” and thus the name stuck. That’s not the end of the story because while today it is accepted that Amanzimtoti translates to “sweet water,” sweet in Zulu is “mnandi.” However, since it very similar to the name of Shaka’s mother, Shaka decided to create a new word for sweet, and this was “toti.” This is one reason why locals like to call their town, Toti.
In 2009, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Geographical Names Committee decided to change the name to aManzamtoti or eManzamtoti, which still abbreviates to Toti for many.
Located along the coast, Toti is famous for its beaches and warm climate. Expect to see crowds in most of the beach resorts especially during holidays and summer. Being only 11 kilometers away from Durban International Airport and walking distance from N2 highway, Toti is a popular destination. In fact, even with the closure of the airport in 2010, people still found it attractive enough to go the extra distance.
Economy
In 2007, a report was made about the effects of the closure of Durban International Airport on Toti’s economy. According to a local agency, Nationlink, the expected drop in revenues and visitors did not happen. It was the complete opposite with new malls and entertainment options. The reason they say for this was because Toti is the gateway to the south coast where hundreds of visitors go. Also, the airport was never a major player in Toti’s economy. The sudden noise elimination of airplanes flying overhead even made life in Toti more pleasurable and attractive.
In terms of real estate, the property for sale in Amanzimtoti has proven itself to be a good investment as prices continue to increase through purchases made by local buyers, migrating families looking for a quiet suburban community, and business investors.
Population
In 1902, the town of Amanzimtoti consisted of 1 hotel, 4 houses and 12 huts. Twenty years later there were 3 more hotels that were built but the problem was access since there was only a dirt road leading to Toti. During the 1930s Depression, the population began to increase because life was cheaper in Toti than in the larger cities, and the population was estimated at almost 775.
The province where Amanzimtoti is found, Kwa-Zulu-Natal has the second largest number of people in South Africa. It is the size of Portugal, and the capital is Durban. The estimated population for the whole province is over 10.5 million people. Amanzimtoti is nor as densely populated as the major cities in the province but its beaches get very crowded from day visitors and tourists.
Amanzitoti is also famous for its deep sea fishing, water sports, and safe swimming. While there is the danger of sharks, offshore nets are securely placed to prevent any untoward incident. The water is generally warm all year round and there are lifeguards at all time. Tourism is the main industry in Amanzimtoti. In other words, buy a camera, get your beach towel (and some good sunscreen), equip yourself with an appreciation for nature and visit this gem of a coastal town.