Durban - Born and raised in Durban, Satish Dhupelia, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, believes the city is the ultimate treasure trove of South Africa.
The 63-year-old Sherwood resident, a semi-retired video producer and ex-teacher, says Durban’s rich history, beautiful blend of culture, diverse heritage and warm people make it second to none.
“I am immensely proud of so many things in this city. My great grandfather Gandhi arrived here and gave us a legacy of peace and non-violence that has been perpetuated by so many like Manilal and Sushila Gandhi and Chief Albert Luthuli, who was also the first Nobel Peace prize winner in Africa.
“The Consulate 6 - Archie Gumede, Mewa Ramgobin, George Sewpersadh, MJ Naidoo, Billy Nair and Paul David - also need to be mentioned. In 1986, they sought refuge in the British Consulate here in Durban as they were being persecuted by the security police and this brought international coverage to the Struggle.”
He said Durban had produced greats - not only in politics but in virtually every sphere.
“People who have made their mark in the world include author Aziz Hassim, cartoonist Nanda Sooben, Professor Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie, photographer Ranjith Kally and playwright Ronny Govender.”
Dhupelia, like many of the Durban grown legends he mentioned, also adopted a passion for people.
He spent most of his weekends as a young boy at the Phoenix Settlement farm with his grandmother, Ela Gandhi, and was given first hand experience of what it means to serve the people of the land.
Dhupelia is community oriented and thrives on uplifting, educating and building up poverty-stricken communities.
He is a member of the Phoenix Settlement Trust, Gandhi Development Trust Outreach Programme, Amphitheatre Association, Sherwood Community Policing Forum (CPF), Sydenham CPF, 1860 Heritage Centre Board, Boys Against Rape and the Clare Estate Hindu Crematorium.
His commitment to his work and love for the city keeps him rooted in Durban despite having two children in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town.
Asked if he would relocate, his answer was almost instant.
“I was born and brought up in Durban, all 63 years of my life, and I would never think of leaving as it has so many different memories of my life and my family that it would be like amputating a part of me to leave this wonderful city.”
Apart from the rich history and love for the community, Dhupelia believes several factors make Durban a signature living destination.
“It has the best weather, great food, stunning beaches and tons of fun things to do and see. It has the largest mosque in the Southern Hemisphere as well as the wonderful Hare Krishna Temple.”
Speaking about Durban’s local cuisine, Dhupelia says he makes it his mission to find the best spots for great food with excellent service.
He listed his top joints as Patel’s Vegetarian Restaurant in Dr Yusuf Dadoo (Grey) Street for the best bunny chow, Spiga in Florida Road for its Italian food and great service, La Bella at the corner of St Thomas and Essenwood Road for its fantastic ambiance and food, Conscious Castle in Hillcrest for vegan food in a castle setting and Wimpy at the beachfront where he has breakfast every Sunday.
Dhupelia also mentioned Palki in Musgrave Road, which, he said, served Indian cuisine that was consistently great.
The Durban Beachfront Amphimarket on a Sunday, Botanical Gardens, Makaranga Gardens, Shongweni Farmers Market and 1860 Heritage Centre in Derby Street are some of his favourite places to visit.
Another fun trademark of Durban was how strangers could stand in queues for buses and taxis and make new friends or strike up conversations.
“Having travelled to other cities, I really love and appreciate this about my city and have only discovered a similar experience in Cardiff in Wales.”
He said Durbanites are also unique in their ability to remain humble despite titles.
“You can sit next to a legend at a function or meeting, and later discover he was on Robben Island or is world famous for some achievement.”
He said while there are many aspects of Durban that needed to be addressed, it still remained one of the best cities in the world to live in.