Port Shepstone

Port Shepstone is the commercial, administrative and educational hub of KwaZulu-Natal's South Coast. It is the place where "the home of all rivers" - the Mzimkulu River - joins with the sea. It is one of KZN's largest South Coast towns and is home to 52 793 people.

Located 120 km from Durban, residents of Port Shepstone are served by two hospitals, a number of shopping centres and malls and a local police station.

Port Shepstone's unspoiled 18km of coastline with its sandy beaches and the warm Indian Ocean current makes it a popular holiday destination. On this piece of coastline, you can swim with the dolphins and take an unforgettable whale-watching boat trip.

Its diverse attractions and activities include fishing, jet-skiing, scuba diving, ski-boating, snorkelling, surfing and swimming. The Port Shepstone Country club has one of the most beautiful golf courses on the lower south coast and boasts a Par 72 Championship course, bowling greens, cricket pitch and clubhouse.

The Mzimkulu River banks are filled with an abundance of birdlife, while the river itself is ideal for boating, canoeing, river rafting, water-skiing and windsurfing. The area is also teeming with wildlife and animals such as antelope, baboons and leopards can be seen at the nearby nature reserves.

Apart from all of these leisure-hour activities, Port Shepstone has a stable, permanent residential community, with 70% of its population in the 50 to 65 year-plus category. However, the character of the area is changing with 29% of recent property sales made to buyers in the 36 to 49 year age group. This trend is understandable, as Port Shepstone has a thriving economy offering diverse job opportunities and is well served by both primary and tertiary schools.

The stability of the area is also reflected by its housing stock, with more than 79% (7 287) comprising freehold properties. The town does have 1 607 sectional title units, which is close to 17.5% of the entire residential components of the town.

It is undoubtedly the price of home ownership that is attracting more investors to Port Shepstone. The average price of a freestanding home is an affordable R957 000, while sectional title units average appealing sales tickets of R679 000. These prices are undeniably attractive to younger families, as well as to retirees who have to live on fixed monthly incomes.