Zulu spirit meets French flair as Club Med makes history with first SA resort
Tinley Manor is the kind of coastal town that whispers rather than shouts. Tucked just north of Ballito along KwaZulu-Natal's Dolphin Coast, it's a stretch of unspoilt shoreline where the Indian Ocean rolls in rhythmically, its waves folding like silk onto the sand.
It should come as no surprise that this sugar cane-swathed haven is the location for the first Club Med resort in South Africa. The French brand, known for its all-inclusive barefoot luxury, chose the untouched charm of Tinley Manor for a reason: it's quiet, it's coastal and it has heart.
Since March 2024, Club Med SA has been steadily transforming the site from the ground up. When I visited this month, the air buzzed — not with the hum of holidaymakers, but with the hard graft of making magic. Hard hats on, reflector vests zipped, we moved through the construction site past half-built villas and the shell of what will become a 1,000-seater restaurant. Trucks heaved, cranes groaned and workers in blue overalls worked in rhythm, laying the bones of what will soon be a R2.1-billion sanctuary of sun, surf and serenity.
Project director Chris du Toit greeted us with a firm handshake, then gestured across the land. 'We've got 1,400 people working here,' he said, the pride clear in his voice. 'Over 50% of them are locals from within a 10km radius. Crime in the area has dropped by 60% because people are employed and hopeful again.'
On the appeal of the locale for prospective guests, 'People want warm water and sunshine,' Du Toit says. 'KZN gives you 10 months of good weather a year. And we're just 20 minutes from an international airport, on one of the best beaches on the North Coast.'
In a few months' time, there will be 345 hotel rooms, 64 luxury villas, a 500-seater conference space, private pools, a wellness centre and a main pool so central it might as well have its own passport stamp.
'For us, this is a very exciting project,' says Ken Ogwang, senior dealmaker at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), a funding partner on the project.
The IDC is no stranger to funding tourism projects and recently backed the Premier Hotel Thohoyandou and the Radisson Blu Durban uMhlanga.
'We know what Club Med means in the global tourism landscape. We're not just getting the expertise, we're getting the brand strength. That's a big deal for this region.'
The resort will offer all the signature Club Med indulgences: you pay one rate and everything else — from yoga to watersports to cocktails — is sorted. Whether you're a solo traveller, a family on holiday or a couple chasing a barefoot honeymoon, there's no need to think about what to eat, where to go or what to do.
Ogwang says: 'You want for nothing, you think about nothing. There's entertainment, sports activities, a dancing experience... and that's what we're selling.'
Sport is big here. Really big. Think padel tennis, beach volleyball, archery and sailing. It will be the first Club Med globally to feature a surf school — and they picked a coastline that delivers waves with just the right bite. The resort will also have a fitness centre with daily classes, a spa, a wellness centre and an adults-only pool and bar.
But the real magic? The fact that you can easily go from catching waves to spotting lions. Just over three hours from Tinley Manor, Club Med's upcoming safari lodge in the Mpilo Game Reserve will round off the resort's 'bush-and-beach' offering, giving guests the rare chance to spot the big five in the morning and be sipping sundowners by the sea at dusk.
Kagisho Bapela, Head of Services at the IDC, says the duality of this resort is what sets it apart.
'People will get to experience our culture, like the Zulu traditions and customs. The resort will also have the game reserve, so people can have the beachfront experience and a wildlife experience in the same visit. We are building an economic asset in the country that leverages global standards using local expertise and resources — a game changer!'
The investment — financial and emotional — runs deep. 'This isn't just another resort,' says Ogwang. 'It's a brand that's trusted worldwide, but we're also bringing in local interior designers to pull through South African cultures and colour. International travellers will get a real feel for KZN — that vibrancy, the warmth, the soul.'
The resort's main centre will include a shopping area, wine corner, gourmet restaurant and bar — all wrapped in views of the ocean. And for those needing to mix business with beach, there's a 500-seater conferencing facility — though, truth be told, it might be hard to concentrate when the sea is calling.
It's the kind of all-inclusive escape that has long lured travellers to islands like Mauritius or Bali. Only this time, it's homegrown. Local. With an unmistakable African heartbeat.
The resort is expected to open in July 2026, bringing in that Mzansi spirit with a side of French flair, and the kind of barefoot luxury that doesn't shout, it simply whispers, 'You're here.'
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Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as they leave after holding a trilateral meeting, which included the French President, as part of the Chinese president's two-day state visit, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on May 6, 2024. The idea of the world changing has become a habit, year-on-year, that statement provides no new information. Nonetheless, this opinion points out that what is happening [with strong support] is that global relationships are changing–old friends have become foes and new friends have been foes. This particular change rings true for the US and elsewhere. It also provides hope for ongoing disagreements, conflicts and war. Looking at tariffs, China has seen some of the highest rates against it by any country, in the form of Trump's Liberation day tariffs. Since 14 May, both the United States and China have agreed to suspend 90% of their Liberation Day tariffs for a period of 90 days and have withdrawn several other retaliatory duties. As a result, tariffs imposed by the US on Chinese goods dropped to 30%, while China will reduce its tariffs on American products to 10%. Although this does not signify a friendship, it does signal a willingness to reconvene on measures through communication. It indicates that the relationship between China and the US were at its worst when the US announced the Liberation Day tariffs (145%) against China. China and the European Union have traditionally maintained stable relations, with minimal conflict over core interests and strong economic and cultural ties. By 2022, China had become the EU's top import source and third-largest export destination, with bilateral trade surpassing €856 billion. European firms like Siemens, Airbus, and BMW are heavily invested in the Chinese market, fostering collaboration in technology and industry. However, mounting political pressure from the United States has disrupted this trajectory, prompting the EU to impose curbs on Chinese tech companies, scrutinise investments, and restrict academic exchanges—moves driven more by external influence than inherent discord. Amid Donald Trump's renewed political presence and his assertive 'America First' stance, the EU is increasingly recognising the value of strategic autonomy, pushing for a more balanced foreign policy and a reimagined, independent engagement with China. BRICS has played a fundamental role in relationship-building, particularly amongst those members of the global south. In fact, the beginning of this year saw Indonesia join as an official member of BRICS and official partners: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan. These relationships entail economic, social, political, and environmental engagement fostering a commitment to shared development. The grouping is instrumental regarding the strong relationships between–China-Russia, China-South Africa, South Africa-Brazil. The grouping reinforces the autonomy of its members and partners often creating a revived awareness of previous or current relations that are or were exploitative and infringes national autonomy. On the point of relations there exists wars and conflicts that seem very permanent with no resolution in sight. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has seen devastations that killed many. Many countries are attempting to find a solution to the situation, for example, China, the EU, and South Africa. Putin and Trump's relationship appears strained by recent reports, as Trump attempts to have Ukraine & Russia come to a consensus, his efforts have seemingly rendered itself meaningless. The Israel-Palestine conflict is one that has perpetuated for many years since 1948 when Israel became a sovereign state. This conflict puts to task the notion that there are no permanent enemies. It has no real time when it will stop, even with external efforts to alleviate the issues. The US has positioned itself as an ardent supporter of Israel and other nations, like South Africa, are bastions for the cause of the Palestinian people. It is thus unsurprising that the US, under Trump, has accused South Africa of a fictitious 'white genocide' as South Africa has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the genocide of the Palestinian people. There are, in fact, very real genocides (at cumulative recorded deaths) in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as examples. The principle that there are no permanent friends or foes in global politics is more visible in today's rapidly shifting geopolitical climate. Relationships once thought stable—like those between the US and the EU—are evolving under pressure, revealing both fragility and potential. While tariff wars and political tensions mark deep rifts, temporary pauses in hostility and renewed dialogue suggest that cooperation remains possible, even after periods of hostility. However, perpetual conflicts such as those in Ukraine and Palestine challenge this notion, raising critical questions about whether some enmities can truly end. Amid this complexity, BRICS and its expanding network offer hope for a more balanced, multipolar world—where nations from the Global South engage on more equal terms, are weary of external pressures, and reaffirm their sovereignty through strategic partnerships. In a world of fickle loyalties and enduring struggles, BRICS stands as a testament to the possibility of resilient and principled international cooperation. Written By: *Cole Jackson Lead Associate at BRICS+ Consulting Group Chinese & South American Specialist **The Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Independent Media or IOL.
