Dumisani Ngema is a colourful tour guide and his job is to tell the vibrant story of one of South Africa's most famous people, King Shaka, to tourists.

Dumisani Ngema is a colourful tour guide and his job is to tell the vibrant story of one of South Africa's most famous people, King Shaka, to tourists.

He works for Shakaland in Eshowe on the North Coast, and was just one of more than a thousand exhibitors at the four-day Tourism Indaba that ended in Durban on Tuesday.

Ngema had been impressed with the number of people he and his team had managed to network with.

"The response has been amazing," he said. "There are lots of people who want to know about and experience Zulu culture and we offer just that."

At Shakaland one can learn about the history of the Zulu people and how to weave baskets and make Zulu beer.

Ngema finds that years after King Shaka's death people are still fascinated by his story as well as that of his mother and father, Nandi and Senzangakona.

To cater for a potential influx of tourists during the World Cup, Shakaland will add diski dance lessons to its already interactive programme.

While Shakaland will do all they can to showcase KwaZulu-Natal's rich history, the department of arts and culture aims to educate people on local cuisine.

Their mandate of the chefs was to create dishes that reflected the cultures that exist in the province but with a contemporary style. - Sapa