Umtentweni, also officially known as eMthenteni, is a small coastal resort situated along the R102 Regional Route on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa, between the Mzimkulu River (the great home of all rivers) and the Mtentweni River (named after a species of grass that grows on its banks).
Umtentweni is located on elevated land overlooking the Indian Ocean, densely covered by subtropical vegetation that stretches the entirety of the Hibiscus Coast. It lies between the Mtentweni River to the north, beyond which lies Sea Park, and the Mzimkhulu River to the south, beyond which lies Port Shepstone.
Umtentweni forms part of the coastal town of Port Shepstone in the Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality, which is part of the Ugu District Municipality.
Umtentweni is a relatively clean and quiet residential resort. It has become an attractive destination for people escaping from city life. Most of the village is filled with complexes, flats, bed and breakfasts, and suburban-style houses. About 20 years ago, the entire Umtentweni was filled with so much greenery and wildlife. All this has changed due to the growing popularity of this small resort and the constant clearing for new housing.
Umtentweni is home to the Port Shepstone Country Club, located on the banks of the Mzimkhulu River. There is also a public beach, a tennis club, and a whale deck.
Name change
On 10 February 2006, the coastal resort was officially renamed from “eMtentweni” to “eMthenteni” as part of the government‘s renaming scheme by the South African Geographical Names Council. However, the name change has largely been ignored, with road signs and usage of the old name “Umtentweni” or “eMtentweni” still being used.
Roads
Umtentweni is situated along the R102 connecting Melville to the north with Port Shepstone Central to the south. The area also lies just off the N2 National Route connecting Marburg to the south-west with Durban in eThekwini to the north-east. Running north-west, Rethman Drive connects the suburb with St Faith’s and provides access to the N2.
