Jobs in uMhlanga

San hunter-gatherers were apparently the first South African group to make Umhlanga Rocks their home, after which came the Nguni-speaking clan.

The town came under British rule when the sugar magnate, Sir Marshall Campbell, sailed to South Africa from Glasgow in 1850 to purchase a large swathe of the area to plant further sugar cane estates.

And the Oyster Box, then referred to as Oyster Lodge, was first built in 1863 – but only became the magnificient tourist accommodation venue that it is today in about 1952, when it was purchased by the O’Connor family and overgrown parts of the hotel’s property were added to its impressive and attractive estate.

SA-Venues advises that the changes to be seen in Umhlanga mirror those related to the way in which business has migrated from central Johannesburg to Sandton. Since acquiring its suburban status, Umhlanga’s residential and commercial aspect has grown significantly – you’ll see the addition of gated communities, luxury estates, and sought-after retail and office developments, particularly in and around Umhlanga Ridge, with its magnificent Indian Ocean views, which consisted only of large tracts of sugar cane before this.

That said, the town remains an incredibly popular seaside resort, boasting wide sandy beaches, and exclusive hotels and apartment blocks, which are typically lined with “umbrellas and sun worshippers” in the summer months, when locals and visitors alike leave their deck chairs and take to the promenade for a sundower stroll most evenings.

A review on SA-Venues compliments the Umhlanga Municipality for “the well thought out and maintained walkway along the beach front… The beaches are clean, and the surrounding gardens and ablutions are well maintained – a pleasant change from the filthy Durban breach front.”

Over and above the work of the local municipality, there are also beach clean-up initiatives. These include the Umhlanga Rocks Urban Improvement Precint, which describes its events as “collaborative efforts to not only help keep our coastline pristine, but also to contribute to environmental conservation efforts in our community”.

Those taking part in these cleaning-up brigades are able to connect with fellow residents, while working together towards the common goal of environmental stewardship and, at the same time, relishing some healthy outdoor exercise and fresh air as they make a positive impact on the environment.

Umhlanga Arch Properties reveals that the entire North Coast, from Durban North to Umdloti, has seen a surge in popularity when it comes to property investors in recent years – but that Umhlanga Rocks is the area’s “crown jewel”.

Here are the key reasons behind its remarkable transformation – “from serene coastal village to bustling and prestigious urban hotspot”, according to the upmarket property group.

First up, is its strategic location near to King Shaka International Airport and other major business hubs. Second, are the government infrastructural initiatives and private sector investments that are driving the growth and value appreciation of the area’s property market. And third, are the town’s breathtaking ocean views and pristine beaches (as mentioned above) that offer up a unique combination of seaside living with urban convenience for individuals and families of all ages. But the fourth, and probably most important reason is the thriving local economy of Umhlanga Rocks, “buoyed by the presence of business hubs, medical facilities, office parks, and burgeoning commercial developments”.

It is essentially a dynamic lifestyle destination, able to amply accommodate professionals and their businesses with aplomb – while leisure activities are laid on, without limit, to provide a well-balanced and healthy way of life for the area’s fast-living residents.

Umhlanga Arch Properties believes that the main reason Umhlanga has done the about turn that it has, “from just a holiday destination to a bustling business hub”, is that its unspoilt beauty and lifestyle drawcards have attracted those wanting to put down roots for their corporate headquarters, tech start-ups, and local enterprises. The end result has been that living in the town means relishing the vibe of innovation that these executives and entrepreneurs bring with them.

Connect Space, a business that provides its customers with office workspace solutions, concurs: “By choosing Umhlanga as your place of business, you are ensuring that your business is taken seriously – as this desirable and exclusive address won’t be lost on potential clients, it being one of the most elite in South Africa.”

Umhlanga’s commercial success, in part, also rests on the ease with which one can move in and out of the area, on a combination of the M4, M41, and N2 highways – whether for business meetings, or work further afield.

And, of course, everyone based here – whether running a small coffee shop or managing a listed IT company – shares Umhlanga’s outdoorsy lifestyle, together with the town’s prestigious postal code.

You won’t realise the health benefits of the sea air here, until you experience it in the flesh, and on a daily basis!

Popular employers in Umhlanga, according to the experts at Payscale, include the leading provider of genetic testing Ampath, and mortgage finance and insurance company SA Home Loans.

Three of the most pursued careers in the town stretch to that of a project manager in the IT industry (average earnings being R715k per annum), an office manager (average earnings being R216k per annum), a marketing manager (average earnings being R744k per annum),  and a finance manager (average earnings being R470k per annum).

A browse on the Executive Placements job portal will reveal a similar trend in job sector popularity, with marketing jobs (depending on whether social media, or property, is your preferred focus area), and finance jobs (choose between the likes of a bank branch manager, creditors clerk, or cost estimator in manufacturing) ranking highly, as well as medical jobs (say, that of a pharmaceutical sales rep).

Tripadvisor reckons that the following tourist hotspots are not to be missed when visiting or residing in Umhlanga, and/or its surrounds:

• Whalebone Pier, which showcases a structure that represents the skeleton of a whale and provides visitors with superb views of the Umhlanga Lighthouse and main beach
• the spa at the five-star Oyster Box hotel, where staff are dedicated to restoring balance through their exceptional treatments, and where the layout in a luscious tropical garden allows guests to enjoy the chatter of monkeys, exotic bird calls, and the scent of perfumed flowers;
  • the Umhlanga Rocks promenade, perfect for a safe yet invigorating stroll;
• Chris Saunders Park, with its beautifully kept picnicking lawns and an amphitheatre where music and other events are often staged
• the Gateway Theatre of Shopping, which takes the art of retail therapy and entertainment to an entire new level in this, the southern hemisphere’s, biggest and most thrilling of all malls.

While there is no shortage of surfing and snorkelling to be had in this vibrant seaside location, and while golf can certainly be played (in support of numerous well-deserving charities) at the Mount Edgecombe Country Club – the adventure sports on offer here are sure to attract the bravest of us without a heartbeat.

SouthAfrica-online suggests that you “get the heart racing and the adrenaline pumping” with a range of pursuits that include a swim in the aquarium, along with 1 500 species of friendly (or fierce) fish; a kite surfing or sky diving flip; an abseil down a sheer mountain face; or a hike that demands strength, fitness, and stamina to be able to reach the top and admire the miraculous view below.

The sky is literally also the limit for those into rock climbing, white-water rafting, zip-lining above the forest canopy, or hot air ballooning.

If you’re more into eating out than exercising up a storm, DineSurf provides enviable reviews of the likes of La Parada, Tiger’s Milk, Rockets Beach Club, Sunsets and Mermaids, Grimaldi’s, Firelake, Crane and Feathers, the Ocean Terrace, the Grill Room at the Oyster Box, and the Chef’s Table – depending on your price range, preferred cuisine type, and whether you’d like a sea view or a forest setting to stretch out before you as you contemplate your first cocktail, glass of bubbly, or craft beer.

On another note, the climate of Umhlanga is certainly a weighty attraction for those who enjoy an average annual temperature is 20.4 °C, so as to be able to carry out all their ocean, and other, sporting pursuits.