Molweni, Kwa Zulu Natal

The Population of Molweni is made up of mostly Black Africans, with Females being the predominate Gender! Molweni is a Residential Area of Western Ethekweni Municipality, Durban. This Area is peripheral to Durban’s planning networks and have not been considered in the Municipality’s planned Bus Rapid Transport network, although there has been some infrastructural investment in roads and bridges. There is a complex mix in terms of both housing and land ownership. The meaning of 'Molweni' is Xhosa and is a general greeting, 'hello'. Land ownership in the Area is a mix of tribal and private. The complex Governance arrangements between Tribal Authorities and the Metro Municipality are very unstable. Residents in Molweni experienced significant positive gains from recent state investment in micro-infrastructure in the Area, particularly in road surfacing, electricity, toilets, water, bus shelters, and schools. Local institutions such as the Greater Molweni Resource Centre were noted as playing a critical role. Residents from parts of the Area Governed by the Traditional Authorities felt ‘left out’ of some of these improvements, and experienced significant challenges in terms of access to decent housing and services. The Area had a number of orphaned households who were particularly marginalized and impoverished. Crime in the Area was rising, but it still felt relatively safe in comparison to other parts of the City. Improved transport and road surfacing significantly improved residents’ abilities to access the wider City for work and services!