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Neighbourhoods › KwaZulu-Natal › eSitheza
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eSitheza

Needs caution

Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal

Peri Urban
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Poor fit Based on 7 scored dimensions
Best reasons
86
Affordability
Trade-offs
8
Amenities — 2 amenities mapped nearby
12
Schools
Is eSitheza right for you?

eSitheza is held back by higher crime and high prices for local incomes.

Things to weigh up

  • Crime is higher than in most areas, so read the safety section before deciding.
  • Homes are expensive compared with local incomes.
  • There are few schools nearby, so check the school run.
  • Shops and everyday services are thin on the ground.
  • It is quiet, with little to do nearby.

Who it suits

  • Families with children Less suited

    Higher crime, few schools nearby and fewer shops and services.

  • Young professionals and renters Less suited

    Fewer shops and services and little to do nearby.

  • Retirees and a quieter life Less suited

    Higher crime and fewer shops and services.

  • Living without a car Less suited

    Fewer shops and services.

  • Buying on a budget Less suited

    High prices for local incomes.

Compared with nearby areas

In Richards Bay In South Africa
Safety Among the lowest Among the lowest
Affordability Below most Below most
Schools Among the lowest Below most
Transport About average About average
Amenities Among the lowest Among the lowest
Lifestyle Among the lowest Among the lowest
Property Confidence About average About average
What's happening
Local & city news, notices and alerts
WEATHER TODAY: Upington 40°C and Kimberley 39°C as the heat wave holds South African
Weather for Wednesday: Mahikeng, Rustenburg, Klerksdorp and Kroonstad reach 36°C, while Cape Town stays cloudy and mild at 24°C and Durban settles at 27°C.
1 day ago Read article
The race for the 26/27 Golden Boot race Kickoff
With the club now football now on a break as international football takes centre-stage, here's a look at the top six players in the race for the 2026/27 Golden Boot race.
1 day ago Read article
Ouaddou faced with fresh Carling accomplishment at Pirates Kickoff
Abdeslam Ouaddou has come within two games of completing a run that will have his name added to the Carling Knockout Cup history books.
2 days ago Read article
WEATHER TODAY: Upington swelters at 39°C, Bloemfontein and Kroonstad 35°C South African
Weather for Tuesday: Paarl reaches 34°C while Cape Town stays at 28°C and George a mild 23°C under high cloud. No rain is expected anywhere in the country.
2 days ago Read article
PSL coach declares availability after recent axing Kickoff
Phuti Mohafe is actively seeking a return to the dugout and has made it clear that he is more tha...
2 days ago Read article
Data confidence
Moderate coverage
72

Coverage confidence reflects geographic matching, source authority, freshness, record coverage, and demographic alignment. It is not a liveability score.

geography
25 pts
source authority
20 pts
freshness
20 pts
record coverage
2 pts
demographic alignment
5 pts
Reliable enriched schools, amenity details, ratings, and official area demographics are not available for this suburb yet. Existing evidence elsewhere on this page remains visible; missing facts are not estimated.
Score dashboard
SAPS 2022-2023 · OSM Nov 2026 · modelled
20
Safety
Weak
2022-2023
86
Affordability
Excellent
modelled
12
Schools
Weak
2020
31
Transport
Weak
Nov 2026
8
Amenities
Weak
Nov 2026
12
Lifestyle
Weak
Nov 2026
68
Property Confidence
About average
RPPI 2010-2023
What these scores mean for eSitheza

Each score is out of 100. Higher is better for you: a high affordability score means cheaper relative to local incomes, and a high safety score means less crime. Comparisons are with other areas in the same country.

Safety: 20/100 · Weak
Scores 20 out of 100, which is weak and lower than 99% of areas in South Africa. In practice, reported crime is high for its size; check the crime breakdown and talk to residents. What it measures: How safe the area is, from reported crime adjusted for population, with burglary and robbery counting most. How it is worked out: Severity-weighted reported crime per 1,000 residents vs the urban benchmark. Burglary and robbery are weighted heavily. This is based on reasonable data, but not the most recent or most local. Source: SAPS crime statistics (SAPACR 2008–2023) (2022-2023).
Affordability: 86/100 · Excellent
Scores 86 out of 100, which is excellent and lower than 99% of areas in South Africa. In practice, rent takes a reasonable share of local incomes. What it measures: How average rent compares with what households here typically earn. How it is worked out: Average rent as a share of median monthly income. This is based on reasonable data, but not the most recent or most local. Source: Stats SA income & rental index (modelled).
Schools: 12/100 · Weak
Scores 12 out of 100, which is weak and lower than 99% of areas in South Africa. In practice, there are few schools nearby, so check travel times to the ones you want. What it measures: How many primary and secondary schools are within reach. How it is worked out: Real schools within range by phase (primary/secondary/pre-primary), weighted toward secondary. This is based on reasonable data, but not the most recent or most local. Source: DBE National Masterlist of Schools (2020) (2020).
Transport: 31/100 · Weak
Scores 31 out of 100, which is weak and lower than 62% of areas in South Africa. In practice, you will probably need a car for most trips. What it measures: Access to public transport stops, stations and main roads. How it is worked out: Density of public-transport stops and stations. This is based on strong, recent official data. Source: OpenStreetMap transport nodes (Nov 2026).
Amenities: 8/100 · Weak
Scores 8 out of 100, which is weak and lower than 99% of areas in South Africa. In practice, you may need to travel for everyday shopping and services. What it measures: Everyday places nearby, such as shops, pharmacies, clinics and banks. How it is worked out: Daily-convenience density: shops, food, healthcare, community. This is based on strong, recent official data. Source: OpenStreetMap & Google Places (Nov 2026).
Lifestyle: 12/100 · Weak
Scores 12 out of 100, which is weak and lower than 99% of areas in South Africa. In practice, it is a quieter area with fewer places to go out. What it measures: Places to eat, relax and spend free time, such as restaurants, parks and gyms. How it is worked out: Parks, food culture, and community sentiment once reviews accrue. This is based on strong, recent official data. Source: OSM green space + resident sentiment (Nov 2026).
Property Confidence: 68/100 · About average
Scores 68 out of 100, which is about average and lower than 52% of areas in South Africa. What it measures: How much reliable property data we have and how stable prices look. How it is worked out: Directional year-on-year price movement — not a valuation. This is based on strong, recent official data. Source: Stats SA Residential Property Price Index (RPPI 2010-2023).
Full scoring method
Flood & earthquake history
🌊 Flood: None on record
🌍 Earthquake: None on record
See details

Municipal service delivery

Real Stats SA General Household Survey (GHS 2022) — based on 3,124 households surveyed. for the wider municipality/province this suburb sits in.

Flush toilet access
44%
Pit/bucket toilet (backlog)
52%
Has electricity
98%
Regular refuse removal
41%
Water interruptions (past yr)
78%
Less happy than last year
42%
What residents are complaining about

% of households reporting each problem as present in their area.

Illegal rubbish dumping 21%
Littering 29%
Water pollution 20%
Air pollution 12%
Land degradation 25%
Noise pollution 9%

Source: Stats SA GHS 2022.

Households (Census 2022)

Real Stats SA Census 2022 — full count, based on 2,543 households. for the wider municipality/province this suburb sits in.

Piped water inside dwelling
21%
Flush toilet
24%
Bucket toilet (backlog)
1%
Electricity for lighting
97%
Regular refuse removal
19%
Home internet access
2%
No internet access
17%
Owns a motor car
21%
Food security

% of households reporting hunger at least sometimes in the past year.

Adult hunger 31%
Child hunger 29%

Source: Stats SA Census 2022.

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Local services in eSitheza

Tips from residents

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Visiting eSitheza

No attractions near here have been checked and published yet.

Load-shedding
No load-shedding
National status
✓ No load-shedding
Area-specific schedule not available for this suburb yet.
National status shown above. We're working on matching all suburbs.
Data via EskomSePush · Updates every 15 minutes
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Related guides
Is eSitheza safe? Safest in Richards Bay Most affordable in Richards Bay Best for families in Richards Bay

NeighbourhoodIQ is an information service, not legal or financial advice. Scores are computed from public data and are indicative only. Crime data: SAPS. Demographics: Stats SA. Amenities: OpenStreetMap contributors.

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