Top 10 Interesting Facts about KwaMuhle Museum, Durban

North Beach, Durban, South Africa. Photo by Weyland Swart on Unsplash

Top 10 Interesting Facts about KwaMuhle Museum, Durban

Apartheid was regarded as a South African political regime that was based on discrimination and was in effect from 1948 to 1994. It was a painful time for South Africa and its people, but it also played a major role in molding the multifaceted face of freedom that this country now enjoys.

The KwaMuhle Museum in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, is dedicated to looking at the apartheid system with an open mind, honoring those that fought against it and exploring its effects on modern society in an optimistic light.

1. “Kwa Muhle” Is A Zulu Term That Means “The Place Of The Good One”

“Kwa muhle” is a Zulu term that means “the place of the good one” and was named after its first manager, Mr. Marwick. This man helped no fewer than 7 000 Zulu people to escape Gauteng (then called the Transvaal) during the Anglo-Boer War.

He was credited with saving the lives of thousands of native South Africans in a time when their blood was sought by settlers and farmers.

2. The KwaMuhle Museum Is Situated In A Building That Was Once One Of The Most Despised Structures In Durban,

The KwaMuhle Museum is situated in a building that was once one of the most despised structures in Durban, the Department of Native Affairs. This government department had the task of enforcing the legislation put into place by an apartheid system, which discriminated against non-white folk and often made life extremely difficult for them.

 This building has, however, been transformed into a place of hope and optimism, a place in which diversity is celebrated and those who were once a part of the struggle against injustice are honored.

 It was designed in 1927 and built the following year. The building now houses a record of the many cultural sectors that make up the Rainbow Nation that South Africa is.

Entrance to the museum is free, and visitors are advised to set aside a few hours to explore the many exhibits and treasures

3. It Is One Of Only Four Major Local History Museums In Durban

It is one of only four major local history museums in Durban. These include the Old House Museum, Old Court House Museum, and the Port Natal Maritime Museum. Visiting each of these institutions will certainly give visitors a well-rounded idea of past and present South Africa, and will impart important lessons on how to go about shaping the future.

4. The Exhibitions At KwaMuhle Museum Include Photographs And Videos

The exhibitions at KwaMuhle Museum include photographs and videos, as well as remnants and objects from the South Africa of yesteryear. This holistic approach gives the museum the edge in terms of appealing to different aspects of the human spirit and its tenacious determination to survive, no matter what.

5. It Is Considered Valuable To Researchers, Historians, Amongst Others

In addition to local and international visitors, the KwaMuhle Museum is enormously valuable to researchers, historians, students, and social scientists that are keen to explore South Africa’s past and present.

6. KwaMuhle Museum Depicts Durban As An African City Searching For Identity

The Durban Art Gallery and the eThekwini City Hall are both situated close to the museum and are a fabulous addition to your cultural and historical experience of this bustling, modern city. KwaMuhle Museum depicts Durban as an African city searching for identity within a new political context.

These days, the main hall looks suspiciously like a beer hall. Waxwork models sit drinking the traditional sorghum beer. Astonishingly, it was this beer that funded the administration of racist legislation. The Native Beer Act of 1908 gave birth to the Durban Corporation, which was given a monopoly over the brewing and selling of beer to African people within the city.

7. This Museum Reflects The History And Experiences That Had Never Been Accessible To The People Of Durban

This museum shows a history experienced by the residents, a reality portrayed without criticism or bias and reflects the history and experiences that had never been accessible to the people of Durban.

KwaMuhle is in no sense an apartheid museum.  Nor is it an African History Museum. It is a museum that documents Durban’s urban growth, the interaction, relationships, and confrontations that made up the everyday events of ordinary people.

8. KwaMuhle Portrays The Points Of Contact Between Durban’s Cultures

KwaMuhle portrays the points of contact between Durban’s cultures and represents aspects of the municipality’s role in our history.

The building housing the exhibits were designed to accommodate the movement of large numbers of people, and use has been made of the wide open spaces for the exhibitions and educational activities.

This double-story Union-style building, once the headquarters of the City’s Native Administration Department, was the center of Durban’s infamous system of labor control.

9. Exhibitions Include Collections Of Large Black And White Prints Reflecting Township Life

Exhibitions include collections of large black and white prints reflecting township life and an accurate depiction of the histories of black political trade unions and cultural organizations and groupings. The vision of all the exhibits centers on correcting the inaccuracies in the historical record left by Apartheid, to create a heritage and context for our new democracy that is forthright, candid, and honest.

The displays deal with topics that challenge the onlooker to interpret their convictions and reassess their understanding of South Africa, past, present, and future.

10. A Section Of It Consists Of Information on HIV Treatment Programs

 The rest of the museum is somewhat disjointed, with a large section on HIV treatment programs and another about a teenager who joined the ANC’s paramilitary wing. He killed five people in a shopping center bombing and was shunned by the ANC for doing so.

But the quotes from one victim’s father are extraordinary. They express forgiveness for the bomber, understanding that the loss of his daughter was part of a wider struggle. It’s a jolting moment and indicates the shades of grey in a nation’s history that is too often simplified to white against black.