Kelso is located in the uMdoni Coast region of South Africa facing the Indian Ocean. Kelso is located 65 kilometers south of Durban, the lar…Kelso is located in the uMdoni Coast region of South Africa facing the Indian Ocean. Kelso is located 65 kilometers south of Durban, the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal. Henry Cooke, one of the original mid-nineteenth century Byrne settlers, named the South African coastal village after the town of Kelso on the Tweed River in Scotland. Before modern transportation, the village of Kelso served as an important link in the transportation of sugar. Vessels launched on the Umzinto River could take their cargo out to the larger ships anchored at sea, off the river mouth.