Formation
The Club was chartered on 8 September 1979 having been sponsored by Rotary Club of Durban Port Natal . Dr Neil Dawber who became the Charter President, and Otto Kealton played a prominent role in the formation of the Club. Neil and Otto passed away in 2001 and 2003 respectively. Denzil Goodhead is the only charter member who is still a Club member.

The Club was intended to draw its membership from south of Durban, the catchment of the Umhlatuzana River. Various translations have been given for Umhlatuzana but the one which expresses the spirit of the Club is “a forceful little river running through a forest”.

The Club first met in Jacobs but it soon became clear that members lived in all parts of Durban. This led to the Club moving to city centre venue.

The Club started as a lunch time Club but changed to evenings and back to lunch. Finally in May 1987 it became the first breakfast Club in District 9270 and until May 2003 was the only breakfast club in the District. President Philip Evans presided at the first breakfast at Point Yacht Club which was attended by DG Julian Stephenson, DGE Gordon Dowsett, and Past District Governors Tom Linley, Jim Sommerville and Harry Gilliver.

May 1987. First meeting as a breakfast club. with Past DG's.Left to right: Tom Linley, Gordon Dowsett, Julian Stephenson, PP Phil Evans, PDE Jim Sommerville and PDE Harry Gilliver.

Membership
The Club was chartered with 26 members including 5 Indian members and has benefited from always having a number of Indian members. The Club was the first Club in District 9270 to induct a lady member. The Club counts itself fortunate to have among its members a number who themselves have been on youth exchange or GSE in their younger days.

Ethos of the Club
Looking back over the years one can detect in the Club a free spirit and relaxed atmosphere that has appealed to many but also ruffled some feathers among more traditional Rotarians. There is a common thread of interest and concern among the members especially for youth, education, the elderly and for environmental conservation. This spirit has been evident in the number of “firsts” including being the first club in District 9270 to admit lady members.

Club Projects
The Club has been a continuous supporter of Youth Exchange both short and long term with various Club members serving on the District committees. Annually selected candidates from senior schools are sponsored to attend leadership courses. It has been most rewarding to witness the growth in these young people from all backgrounds for example the comparison of their hesitant statements at Club meetings before the course and the confident enthusiasm displayed at their report back. Even the selection process is seen as a learning experience for youngsters who may never have been exposed to this before.

1999/00. PP Bruce Fillis with Rotary Exchange student Leeann and her councillor Jeff Paul	Exchange student at a visit to Phansi private museum of beadwork in Durban.

The Club has always supported the GSE programme and Club members have served on District GSE committees and have led GSE teams overseas with distinction. PP George Galanos is one of only a few who have led two GSE teams. George led a team for District 9270 and after transferring to Gauteng for District 9300.

Nature conservation projects include specific fund raising in support of Wilderness Leadership School and other conservation bodies and sponsoring young people on trails and courses. Keith Cooper, former Director of Conservation of the Wildlife Society, was given a Paul Harris Award in recognition of his contribution to environmental conservation.

One of the Club’s most successful projects was to bring Reach for a Dream to District 9270 under the able and enthusiastic guidance of PP Paul Batho. It was not too long before the Reach for a Dream Foundation was established as a viable entity of its own. The Foundation continues with its excellent work of helping fulfill the dreams of seriously ill children and often for their families too. We are proud to have seen it through its formative years.

Press cutting of Paul Batho receiving Paul Harris Award in recognition of his work in running Reach For A Dream in Durban. The project was initiated by the Rotary Club of Durban Umhlatuzana.

Our Club conceived the Rotary Against Crime project and were pleased when District agreed to make it a District project. As a result many Clubs in District 9270 have participated to the great benefit of a wide cross section of the community throughout the District.

In 1983/5 we succeeded in completing building and equiping a Day Care Centre in Umlazi to care for infants whose parents were away at work. This project was inspired by Club member Isaac Pitso and his wife Pheona who lived in the area and enabled us to keep in close touch with the community. PP Neil Dawber also staunchly supported the project. Sadly Isaac was murdered when he stopped on a country road during his work of promoting the importance of nutrition among rural people. We lost a dedicated Rotarian and one of nature’s gentlemen.

We sponsored the Durban Umhlatuzana Probus Club and Interact clubs at Northlands Girls High and Effingham Secondary School. Both Interact Clubs are providing school learners with opportunities for community service while giving the members experience in running a club and learning the rewards of service to others.

The major project in 2003 was to provide a carefully selected library of books for about 26 schools along with teacher training so that maximum benefit is derived from the library. The project is funded by contributions from ourselves, Rotary Clubs in UK and Holland and a Rotary Foundation matching grant.

In 2007 we sponsored our first Earlyact Club at Chelsea Preparatory School. In 2009 another was started at Northlands primary School. These clubs introduce young scholars to the principals of service and volunteer work as well as working on a committee.

Chelsea Preparatory EarlyAct Club

An interesting International Service project was hosting a breakfast at the conference hotel during the World Scout Conference in Durban in July 1999. The breakfast was open to conference delegates who were also Rotarians. This proved to be a colourful event with about 40 persons present in full scout uniform from 17 countries. The Sergeants fines on the day yielded many currencies and was enough to set up a ‘street children scout group’ with camping and cooking gear.

Milk from Wine
In about 2004 Milk from Wine was started as a way of generating funds from foreign Rotary Clubs to be used for feeding mainly AIDS orphans. Foreign Rotarians who visit our club are given a bottle of quality South African wine to use to raise funds (eg by a raffle or auction) at their club. We also benefit by the exchange rate. The project has been very successful with visitors keen to accept the challenge.

Matching Grants
The Rotary Foundation is the largest charitable trust in the world. One of its programmes is to encourage international cooperation on humanitarian projects by providing funds on a formula to match monies provided by two or more Rotary clubs in different countries. Thus the fund raising efforts of local and foreign clubs is enhanced and fellowship and goodwill promoted as by products of the project.

The Club has worked with a number of foreign clubs and matching grants obtained for projects :
To provide bread slicing equipment, an autoclave and first aid equipment for The Ark whose mission was to cater for upwards of 1250 indigent adults.
To provide a mini classroom library for six classes at each of 26 schools.
To equip and facilitate training and running a rape trauma unit at Montclair police station
A second similar grant for KwaDabeka trauma center.

Presentation January 2000 to The Ark, Durban, of a bread slicing machine and an autoclave to sterilise medical instruments. From left: PP Phil Graham, member of The Ark ministry, PP Denzil Goodhead, and qualified sister from The Ark medical clinic.

Disaster relief
Over the 30 years the club has been able to respond to relief appeals following natural and other disasters such as the tsunami where we joined District 9270’s contribution of money that was used in Chennai, India, to re-build fishing boats.

Paul Harris Awards
The Paul Harris Award is recognised in Rotary in South Africa as an award made in recognition of the recipient’s contribution in a particular field of endeavour whether in professional life or as voluntary service. The Club has awarded Paul harris medals to:
Charter President Neil Dawber
PP Paul Batho
PP Denzil Goodhead
PP Peter Stewart
Terry Rosenberg
Dr Keith Cooper
PP George Galanos
PPMonique Labat
PP Richard Naidoo
PP Ernie Matthis
Gary Galanos
Pat Rickard

Fund raising
The Club has never had a major fund raiser that could be repeated each year to provide for the club’s charitable work. Instead the club has used a wide variety of smaller fundraisers some of which have been for specified causes. A golf day has proved the most successful venture.