Just jazzing down south

Dizah’s Guest House is one of the many places in Umlazi which is a must-see if you’re planning a trip to the township anytime soon. Mbuso Mkhize took a road trip down to the valleys of BB section in Umlazi township, south of Durbs, to witness first-hand what the hype is all.

I get there round about 3pm. It’s very quiet, there are hardly any people at the venue. This place is very nice, it’s kind of got that African feel to it. The design of the entrance gates is shaped like amaHhawu (Zulu shields). I open the gate, go up the steps and am rather surprised at how quiet the place is. I then head straight to the bar and ask the bartender, “Hey dude, how come this place is so dead?”. He replies, “Relax bro it’s still early, just watch, it will pick up later.”

Not entirely convinced, I nevertheless buy myself something to drink and sit down at the bar. A tall middle-aged man, who I guess is probably in his late 50s or early 60s walks up to me and introduces himself. We then start chatting and I discover that he’s the owner of this joint. His name is Sdi Nduli, and he is a very soft spoken and reserved bloke. I introduce myself, we shake hands and then we start chatting.

The venue also has a magnificent view of the eMbokodweni River and the luscious green valley around it.

Good jazz music

Nduli opened his guest house in 2003. “I had just retired as a teacher, which had been my occupation for more than 20 years,” he states. “I decided to open up a place where people my age could come to enjoy a drink and some good jazz music after a hectic day at work,” he adds.

Nduli started off with four gazebos with a couple of benches, gradually renovating the place as business started to bloom. “When I first started off I had no idea that this place would be the way it is today,” he says. As we are chatting, more and more people start arriving. Nduli adds, “This place now has two fully-stocked bars, five plasma screens and numerous lounges where my guests can sit down, relax and enjoy themselves.”

Dizah’s Guest House plays jazz music exclusively. “This is what you would call a township jazz lounge,” states Nduli. Dizah’s also has a mouthwatering menu. Nduli’s kitchen offers platters with traditional Zulu and township cuisine such as amaDombolo (dumplings), Shisanyama (braaied meat), umxhabhiso (intestines) and so on.

The venue also has a magnificent view of the eMbokodweni River and the luscious green valley around it. This venue is a must-see if visiting or sightseeing in the Umlazi area.

Contact number: 082 959 0422 (Sdi Nduli)