Durban Tourism Group Uncovers Reason Behind Cave Rock’s Disappearance From Bluff

• The Sodurba Tourism Association shared the forgotten story of Cave Rock, a lost Bluff landmark, on Facebook
• Cave Rock stood near Durban’s Bluff headland for generations before it vanished from the coastline forever
• The South African War Department destroyed the rock with dynamite in the 1940s during World War II

The Sodurba Tourism Association shared the forgotten story of Cave Rock on 8 July 2026. The famous Bluff landmark was destroyed by the South African War Department during World War II.

The rock stood near the Bluff headland in Durban for many decades before its destruction. According to the group, officials feared the rock would help enemy ships identify Durban’s coastline during the war.

A landmark blown up for wartime security

The tourism group posted the story on Facebook. It described Cave Rock as a large sandstone formation shaped by the sea and wind over time.

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Locals treated the rock as more than scenery. Fishermen, surfers and families gathered there and built memories along that stretch of coast for years.

Durban Harbour played a key strategic role during the war. The Bluff formed part of the city’s coastal defence system because of its height and position.

Historical accounts differ slightly on the exact reason for the demolition. Some say the rock was too recognisable from the sea and could reveal the coastline’s location.

Other versions suggest the formation blocked sightlines from gun positions stationed along the Bluff. Either way, the outcome for Cave Rock stayed the same.

The landmark was gone by the 1940s, leaving only its name and old memories behind. Many Durban residents still refer to the area as Cave Rock today.

Surfers around the world reportedly still ask locals about the rock when they visit Durban. One name tied to the spot, Rudi Palmboom, remains well known among old surfing circles.

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Social media users responded with their own memories of fishing near the rock for kingfish and shad. Others joked about how the area later became known for less pleasant reasons.

See the post below:

More about landmarks in SA

• The iconic pink elephant outside the former Pink Elephant Liquor Store in Boksburg North is no more.
• Mpumalanga farm stall Jouber en Suens Padstal put their Orange (Groot Lemoen) landmark in South Africa's Schoemanskloof valley.
• The community in Upington joined forces with AfriForum to restore a railway bridge built in 1915 after years of neglect.

Source: Briefly News