Pietermaritzburg (; Zulu: umGungundlovu) is the capital and second-largest city in the province of

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is loca ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

. It was founded in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its Zulu name umGungundlovu is the name used for the

district municipality A district municipality is a designation for a class of municipalities found in several locations, including Canada, Lithuania, and South Africa. Canada British Columbia Under provincial law, municipalities in British Columbia are to be desi ...

. Pietermaritzburg is popularly called Maritzburg in

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gr ...

, English and Zulu alike, and often informally abbreviated to PMB. It is a regionally important industrial hub, producing

aluminium Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It ha ...

, timber and dairy products, as well as the main economic hub of Umgungundlovu District Municipality. The public sector is a major employer in the city due to local, district and provincial governments located here. The city has many schools and tertiary education institutions, including a campus of the

University of KwaZulu-Natal The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is a university with five campuses in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It was formed on 1 January 2004 after the merger between the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westvill ...

. It had a population of 228,549 in 1991; the current population is estimated at over 600,000 residents (including neighbouring townships) and has one of the largest populations of

Indian South Africans Indian South Africans are South Africans who descend from indentured labourers and free migrants who arrived from British India during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The majority live in and around the city of Durban, making it one of the ...

in South Africa. Pietermaritzburg is an emerging metropolitan area.

History

The city was founded (April 1838) by the Voortrekkers, following the murder of Piet Retief and his seventy-strong party at the Zulu Capital, Mgungunhlovu (6 February 1838), when seeking land to settle around Port Natal (The Natal-Land Treaty), and from where the reprisal Wenkommando departed (November 1838) to defeat

Dingane Dingane ka Senzangakhona Zulu (–29 January 1840), commonly referred to as Dingane or Dingaan, was a Zulu chief who became king of the Zulu Kingdom in 1828, after assassinating his brother Shaka. He set up his royal capital, uMgungundlovu, ...

at the

Battle of Blood River The Battle of Blood River (16 December 1838) was fought on the bank of the Ncome River, in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa between 464 Voortrekkers ("Pioneers"), led by Andries Pretorius, and an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Zulu. Es ...

(16 December 1838). Pietermaritzburg is approximately direct from the Zulu capital, Mgungunhlovu. Prior to the battle (9 December 1838) a vow was taken that if the Boers were granted victory over the Zulus, then a sacred church would be built which still stands today, The Church of the Vow. It was Jan Gerritze Bantjes, Secretary General to Andries Pretorius, Commander of the campaign who arranged the financing of the church by the Boer towns folk which by then had taken a low priority after the war. The town grew rapidly to become the capital of the short-lived Boer Republic or Natalia. Britain took over Pietermaritzburg in 1843 and it became the seat of the Natal Colony's administration with the first lieutenant-governor, Martin West, making it his home. Fort Napier, named after the governor of the

Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when it united with ...

, Sir

George Thomas Napier Sir George Thomas Napier (30 June 1784 – 16 September 1855) was a British Army officer who saw service in the Peninsular War and later commanded the army of the Cape Colony. Life He entered the British Army in 1800, and served with dis ...

, was built to house a garrison. In 1893, Natal received responsibility for its own government, and an assembly building was built along with the city hall. On 7 June 1893, while the young

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

was on his way to

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends eastward into the foothi ...

, a white man objected to Gandhi's presence in a first-class carriage. Despite Gandhi having a first-class ticket, he was ordered by the conductor to move to the van compartment at the end of the train: he refused, and he was removed from the train at Pietermaritzburg. Shivering through the winter night in the waiting room of the station, Gandhi made the momentous decision to stay on in South Africa and fight the

racial discrimination Racial discrimination is any discrimination against any individual on the basis of their skin color, race or ethnic origin.Individuals can discriminate by refusing to do business with, socialize with, or share resources with people of a certain g ...

against Indians there. Out of that struggle emerged his unique version of

nonviolent resistance Nonviolent resistance (NVR), or nonviolent action, sometimes called civil resistance, is the practice of achieving goals such as social change through symbolic protests, civil disobedience, economic or political noncooperation, satyagraha, ...

, Satyagraha. Today, a bronze statue of Gandhi stands in Church Street, in the city center. In 1910, when the

Union of South Africa The Union of South Africa ( nl, Unie van Zuid-Afrika; af, Unie van Suid-Afrika; ) was the historical predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into existence on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the Cape, Natal, Tr ...

was formed, Natal became a province of the Union, and Pietermaritzburg became one of the capitals of the country. During

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

, the city was segregated into various sections. 90% of the Indian population was moved to the suburb of Northdale while most of its Zulu inhabitants were moved to the neighbouring

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, ...

of Edendale and white inhabitants were moved out of those areas.

Name

There exist two interpretations about the origin of the city's name. One is that it was named after Piet Retief (Pieter Mauritz Retief) and Gerrit Maritz (Gerhardus Marthinus Maritz), two Voortrekker leaders. The other is that it was originally named after Piet Retief's full name alone. In this interpretation the original name was "Pieter Mauritz' Burg", later transliterated to the current name. In 1938 the city announced officially that the second element ''Maritz'' should also honour Gert Maritz. Pietermaritzburg - Church Street

In fact neither Retief nor Maritz ever reached Pietermaritzburg. Retief was killed by

, successor to Shaka, king of the Zulus. Maritz died of illness on 23 September 1838 near the present-day town of Estcourt, some eighty kilometres northwest of Pietermaritzburg, after the battle with the Zulus at Bloukranz. At the time of the rise of the Zulu Empire, the site that was to become Pietermaritzburg was called Umgungundlovu. This is popularly translated from the Zulu as "Place of the Elephant", although it could also be translated to mean "The elephant wins". Umgungundlovu is thus thought to be the site of some Zulu king's victory since "Elephant" (Indlovu) is a name traditionally taken by the Zulu monarch. Legend has it that Shaka had his warriors hunt elephant there to sell the ivory to English traders at Durban (then called Port Natal). Today, the town is still called by its Voortrekker name, although the municipality of which it is part bears the Zulu name.

Education

The " University of Natal" was founded in 1910. In 1922 the University extended to

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

. The two campuses were incorporated into the University of Natal in March 1949. It became a major voice in the struggle against apartheid and was one of the first universities in the country to provide education to African students. It became the

on 1 January 2004.

Other historical events

*The first newspaper in Natal, the ''Natal Witness'' (now known as '' The Witness''), was published in 1846. *The 46 hectare Botanic Gardens were created in 1872 by the Botanic Society of Natal. *

was thrown out of a train in The Pietermaritzburg Railway Station in 1893, which marked a turning point later on in Gandhi's life and of the course assist India's freedom-struggle in 1915. *The

city hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

, which is the largest red-brick building in the Southern Hemisphere, was destroyed by a fire in 1895, but was rebuilt in 1901. It houses the largest pipe organ built by the

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire ...

organ building company,

Brindley & Foster Brindley & Foster was a pipe organ builder based in Sheffield who flourished between 1854 and 1939. Background The business was established by Charles Brindley in 1854. He was joined by Albert Healey Foster in 1871 and the company acquired the ...

. *The British built a concentration camp here during the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the So ...

to house Boer women and children. *During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, Italian

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...

were housed in Pietermaritzburg. During their stay, they built a

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chri ...

, which remains standing as a heritage site today. *In 1962,

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid activist who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the ...

was arrested in the nearby town of Howick to the north of Pietermaritzburg. The arrest marked the beginning of Mandela's 27 years of imprisonment. A small monument has been erected at the location of his arrest. Immediately after his arrest Mandela was taken to the Old Prison in Pietermaritzburg. After a night in the prison, he was taken to Magistrate J. Buys's office in the old Magistrates Court Building in Commercial Road (now Chief Albert Luthuli Road), and was remanded for trial in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...

Capital status

Pietermaritzburg was the capital of the Colony of Natal until 1910, when the

was formed, and Natal became a province of the Union. Prior to 1994, Pietermaritzburg was the capital of

Natal Province The Province of Natal (), commonly called Natal, was a province of South Africa from May 1910 until May 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. During this period rural areas inhabited by the black African population of Natal were organized into ...

. Following the first post-apartheid elections in South Africa, as a result of which the

Inkatha Freedom Party The Inkatha Freedom Party ( zu, IQembu leNkatha yeNkululeko, IFP) is a right-wing political party in South Africa. The party has been led by Velenkosini Hlabisa since the party's 2019 National General Conference. Mangosuthu Buthelezi founde ...

won a majority in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, Pietermaritzburg shared its status as capital of the (then newly created) province of KwaZulu-Natal with Ulundi. Pietermaritzburg became the legislative capital of the new province, while Ulundi became the administrative capital. The IFP, being strongly Zulu nationalist, desired that Ulundi, the capital of the Zulu Kingdom at the time of its fall to the British in the

Anglo-Zulu War The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Following the passing of the British North America Act of 1867 forming a federation in Canada, Lord Carnarvon thought that a similar political effort, cou ...

, be the post-apartheid capital of the province. Ulundi had also been the capital of the

bantustan A Bantustan (also known as Bantu homeland, black homeland, black state or simply homeland; ) was a territory that the National Party administration of South Africa set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (n ...

KwaZulu KwaZulu was a semi-independent bantustan in South Africa, intended by the apartheid government as a homeland for the Zulu people. The capital was moved from Nongoma to Ulundi in 1980. It was led until its abolition in 1994 by Chief Mangosuthu ...

, which makes up a portion of modern KwaZulu-Natal. However, Ulundi severely lacked the infrastructure to be an effective seat of government, and the

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election install ...

(ANC) and the Democratic Party, the two other strong political parties in the province, among others, called for Pietermaritzburg alone to be the capital. The debate came to an end when the ANC came to power in the province in 2004, and named Pietermaritzburg the sole capital of KwaZulu-Natal. This has resulted in the relocation of several government offices to Pietermaritzburg, an action that has generally been welcomed as a positive development for the region. Since 2004, progress such as the modernisation of several buildings in the city centre and a proliferation of retail and housing developments in the suburbs are results of recent investment in the city by both the public and private sectors.

Economy

Until the late-1990s, the region was renowned for the production of high quality textile, clothing and footwear products. An example of the latter included the production of Doc Marten shoes. However, these industries have declined in the area due to lower production costs in Asia. Extensive timber plantations and numerous citrus farms surround the city, contributing a significant share of the city's output. The Liberty Group has made major investments in several phases in the region since 2002 with the development of the Liberty Midlands Mall (the area's largest shopping centre by gross lettable area and its most prestigious) and Stay Easy hotel. Hulett's Aluminium and Willowton cooking oil contributes a substantial part of the region's industrial output. Pietermaritzburg is also the city where major South African pizza franchise Debonairs Pizza was founded. The city is the location of the first Debonairs Pizza take away restaurant, opened in 1991.

Coat of arms

The Pietermaritzburg borough council assumed a coat of arms in 1861.Anon.; 'Maritzburg's Municipal Insignia' in ''Archives News'' (Jan 1975). The shield depicted an elephant standing on grass, and a cross of five stars was placed above the shield. The motto was ''Umgungunhlovu''. It is unclear what the original colours were, but by 1910 the shield had been coloured blue.The arms were depicted on a colour poster issued by the ''Cape Times'' in 1910. By 1931, the council had approved new artwork in which the stars were placed on a radiant sun.The arms were depicted on
cigarette card
issued in 1931. The arms were registered with the Natal Provincial Administration in November 1950.Natal ''Official Gazette'' 2317 (9 November 1950). Many early renditions of the coat of arms, visible on older public building and wrought iron lampposts, features an elephant which is clearly an

Asian Elephant The Asian elephant (''Elephas maximus''), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living species of the genus '' Elephas'' and is distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from India in the west, Nepal in t ...

rather than an African elephant. More recent versions reflect an African elephant. The final version of the arms was granted by the

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the British Sover ...

in May 1961. It was registered at the Bureau of Heraldry in May 1973. The blazon was: ''Per fess Azure and Vert, over all an elephant statant Or, tusked Argent'' (i.e. the shield was divided horizontally into blue over green, and displayed a gold elephant with silver tusks). The crest was changed to a blue sun displaying gold and silver stars, and two black wildebeest were added as supporters. Each had a shield on its shoulder, the dexter supporter's shield displaying the

Union Jack The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...

and the sinister supporter's the

flag of the Natalia republic The flag of the Natalia Republic was the official flag of this short-lived South African state, which existed from 1839 to 1843. History Emigrant Boers ('voortrekkers') from the Cape Colony established an independent state in 1839, on territory c ...

Transport

Road

Pietermaritzburg is on the N3 highway, the primary route between the harbour city of

, some away, and the Pretoria-Johannesburg-Witwatersrand conurbation. The R33 connects Pietermaritzburg with

Lephalale Lephalale (formerly Ellisras) is a coal mining town in the Limpopo province of South Africa immediately east of the Waterberg Coalfield. The town was established as Ellisras in 1960 and named after Patrick Ellis and Piet Erasmus who settled on a ...

via Greytown,

Paulpietersburg Paulpietersburg is a small town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was established in 1888 and was then part of the Transvaal Republic. It was named after then President Paul Kruger and Voortrekker hero Piet Joubert. Town 72 km south of ...

, Carolina,

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

and Vaalwater to the northeast, while the R56 connects Pietermaritzburg with

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

via

Ixopo Ixopo is a town situated on a tributary of the Mkhomazi River along the R56 highway in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Background Ixopo was formerly known as Stuartstown, was laid out in 1878 and named after M Stuart, Resident Mag ...

Kokstad Kokstad is a town in the Harry Gwala District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Kokstad is named after the Griqua chief Adam Kok III who settled here in 1863. Kokstad is the capital town of the East Griqualand region, as it ...

Dordrecht Dordrecht (), historically known in English as Dordt (still colloquially used in Dutch, ) or Dort, is a city and municipality in the Western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the province's fifth-largest city after ...

Molteno Molteno (; lmo, label= Brianzöö, Mültée) is a '' comune'' (municipality) and a hill-top town in the Province of Lecco in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about southwest of Lecco. As of 31 December 2004, it ...

, Middelburg, then taking the N10 to

Hanover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...

and then the N1 via Beaufort West to the west, and

Mthatha Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matan ...

, East London,

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, So ...

, George and Mossel Bay via the N2 to the southwest.

Air

The city is served by Pietermaritzburg Airport, which has regular scheduled services to

OR Tambo International Airport O. R. Tambo International Airport is an international airport situated in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa. It serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel to/from South Africa and since 2020, it is Africa's secon ...

in Johannesburg. There are 4 flights to Johannesburg and 4 return flights daily, with a reduced number of weekend flights. It once operated flights to Cape Town International Airport in Cape Town – this route was terminated in 2019.

Rail

Pietermaritzburg Railway Station is served by long distance trains on the Durban-Johannesburg and Durban-Cape Town routes of Shosholoza Meyl. It has been proposed that the Metrorail commuter rail system be expanded from Cato Ridge to Pietermaritzburg.

Bus

The Pietermaritzburg Municipality historically operated a tram service, which was closed down in the 1940s, and a bus service, which was closed down in the 1980s. Nowadays regular daily bus services connect Pietermaritzburg to other major cities in South Africa. The bus station is located on Burger Street, opposite the McDonalds Centre, and it serves major bus companies. Greyhound and Intercape are the most reliable and they operate several round-trips from

daily, where Pietermaritzburg is the second to last stop before Durban.

Taxis

Pietermaritzburg has two types of taxi services:

metered taxis A measuring instrument is a device to measurement, measure a physical quantity. In the physical sciences, quality assurance, and engineering, measurement is the activity of obtaining and comparing physical quantity, physical quantities of real-wo ...

and minibus taxis. Unlike in many cities, metered taxis are not allowed to drive around the city to solicit fares and instead must be called and ordered to a specific location. A number of companies service Pietermaritzburg and surrounding areas. These taxis can also be called upon for airport transfers, point to point pickups and shuttles. Minibus taxis are the standard mode of transport for the majority of the population who cannot afford private vehicles.

Integrated Rapid Public Transport (IRPT)

A bus rapid transit system is currently being developed in Pietermaritzburg. The initial phase would see the development of a west to east corridor from Edendale to Northdale. The BRT route will traverse the CBD along Church Street.

Geography

Climate

Pietermaritzburg has a dry-winter

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

: Cwa). Summers are warm and occasionally hot, with frequent rainfall. Winters are dry with high diurnal temperature variation, with light air frosts being possible.

Sport

*Pietermaritzburg is home to the oldest football (soccer) club of South Africa and the African continent: Savages FC PMB, founded in 1882. *The Comrades Marathon takes place annually in June between Pietermaritzburg and

. It has been run since 1921 and attracts thousands of entrants. The start of the race alternates between the two cities. *Between December 1953 and November 1981, Pietermaritzburg had an international standard motor racing circuit located on the outskirts of the city. The

Roy Hesketh Circuit The Roy Hesketh Circuit was a racing circuit located on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. It was named after South African racing driver Roy Hesketh, who died in the Second World War. Doug Aldridge, Colin Dove, Ossie Fisher, ...

measured . The circuit was named after South African driver Roy Hesketh. During its period of operation it hosted rounds of the South African National Drivers Championship, the

Springbok Series The South African Springbok Championship Series was a sports car racing series based in Southern Africa. The series ran from 1966 until 1973. The series was cancelled after two rounds of the 1973 season due to the oil crisis, and never returned ...

and national Formula Atlantic races. The circuit was also like a second home to

Mike Hailwood Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, (2 April 1940 – 23 March 1981) was a British professional motorcycle racer and racing driver. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle ...

. The track was known for hosting the Easter races as well – a festival of racing over three days. The expansion of the town of Pietermaritzburg eventually led to the redevelopment of the site as a residential and business zone after racing ceased at the end of 1981. The section from Henry's Knee to the top of Beacon still exists, and is undergoing protection from further development as an important piece of Pietermaritzburg's history. From 1948 until 1953 races were held at the

Alexandra Park Street Circuit The Alexandra Park Street Circuit was a temporary race track between the late 1940s and 1953 on streets within the town of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. This street track was no longer used after the opening of the permanent Roy Hesketh Circuit ...

on streets within the town of Pietermaritzburg. *Former Springbok and World Cup Winner

Joel Stransky Joel Theodore Stransky (born 16 July 1967) is a South African former rugby union player. A fly-half, he is known for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. ...

was born in Pietermaritzburg on 16 July 1967, he matriculated from Maritzburg College. *Former South African Cricketer

Jonty Rhodes Jonathan Neil "Jonty" Rhodes (born 27 July 1969) is a South African professional cricket commentator and former Test and One Day International cricketer. He is regarded as one of the greatest fielders of all time and was the first South African ...

was born in Pietermaritzburg on 27 July 1969, he also attended Merchiston Prep school and later matriculated from Maritzburg College. *The English cricketer

Kevin Pietersen Kevin Peter Pietersen (born 27 June 1980) is a cricket commentator, conservationist, and former England international cricket player. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional off spin bowler who played in all three formats for England bet ...

was born in Pietermaritzburg on 27 June 1980, as was the Springbok cricketer

Cuan McCarthy Cuan Neil McCarthy (24 March 1929 – 14 August 2000) was a South African cricketer who played in fifteen Test matches from 1948 to 1951. Life and career One of five children born to Victor and Phyllis McCarthy, Cuan McCarthy grew up on "Glen ...

. *The yearly Amashovashova is a road cycling classic race held since 1986 which starts in Pietermartizburg and finishes in Durban. It is normally held in October. *South African cricketer David Miller was born in Pietermaritzburg on 10 June 1989. *In 2010, the BMX Racing World Championship took place in the city of Pietermaritzburg between 15 July and 1 August. *In January there is an annual

canoe A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the ter ...

race, the

Dusi Canoe Marathon The Dusi Canoe Marathon is a marathon canoe race held over three days between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to ...

, from Pietermaritzburg to

. The route follows the

Msunduzi River The Msunduzi River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is also known by its anglicised name, the ''Dusi River''. The original name, ''Msunduzi'', is isiZulu. The Msunduzi is a tributary of the Mngeni River. In Pietermaritzburg The Ms ...

into the

Mgeni River The Umgeni River or Mgeni River ( zu, uMngeni) is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It rises in the "Dargle" in the KZN Midlands, and its mouth is at Durban, some distance north of Durban's natural harbour. The name is taken to mean "the r ...

, through the Valley of a Thousand Hills into the Inanda Dam and from here to the mouth of the Mgeni River. *The Midmar Mile is one of the largest open-water swimming events in the world; taking place at Midmar Dam, north of Pietermaritzburg in February every year, it attracts over 16,000 swimmers from around the world. *The

Harry Gwala Stadium Harry Gwala Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Premier Soccer League club Maritzburg United. In 2008 the stadium had a capacity of 10,000 ...

is a Multi-purpose stadium, and is mostly used for football matches, it is the home ground of Premier Soccer League club

Maritzburg United Maritzburg United is a South African football club based in the city of Pietermaritzburg that currently plays in the Premier Soccer League. Honours *First Division Coastal Stream champions: 2007–08 *First Division Championship Play-offs: 200 ...

. *The Pietermaritzburg Msunduzi Athletics Stadium is currently being developed. *The Pietermaritzburg Oval is considered one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in South Africa, and it hosted two matches during the 2003 Cricket World Cup. *Pietermaritzburg cricket ground is notable as one of the two grounds used regularly for first-class cricket that have a tree within the boundary (the other is St Lawrence Ground in

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of t ...

, Kent). *Woodburn Stadium is currently used for most club rugby in Pietermaritzburg. *The Kershaw Park Tennis Complex is a tennis stadium. *The above facilities form the centre of the Pietermaritzburg sports precinct.

Tourism

Some of the area's tourist attractions include; the KwaZulu-Natal Museum, City Hall, Colonial Buildings, Imperial Hotel, Comrades House and SANBI Botanical Gardens. Attractions in the surrounding areas include; Albert Falls Nature Reserve, Howick Falls, Midmar Public Nature Reserve, Queens Elizabeth Park and World's View.

Education

Schools

* Allandale Primary School * Arthur Blaxall School * Ashdown Primary School * Athlone Primary School * Nsikayethu Secondary School * Alexandra High School * Berg Street Primary School * Bisley Park Primary School * C21 Private School *

Carter High School (South Africa) Carter High School (S.A.) is a coeducational public school in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Carter opened its doors in January 1977 with five teachers and 53 pupils. It has grown into a large school with an enrollment of appro ...

* Clarendon Primary School School * Clifton Preparatory School * Copesville Primary School *

Cordwalles Preparatory School Cordwalles is a private, boarding preparatory school for boys founded in 1912. It is located in Pietermaritzburg, the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Origins Cordwalles was founded in 1912 by the Rt Revd Samuel Baines, Bish ...

* Deccan Road Primary School * Eastwood Primary School * Edendale Technical High School * Epworth School * Esther Payne Smith Secondary School * Eastwood Primary School * Eastwood Secondary School * Evangelical Seminary of Southern Africa * Forest Hill Primary School * Gert Maritz Primary school * Glenwood Primary School * Greenhill Primary School * Hayfields Primary School * Haythorne Secondary School * Heather Secondary School * Heritage Academy * H.S Ebrahim School * Islamia Muslim School * Kharina Secondary School * Linpark High School * Longmarket Girls Primary School * Marion High School * Maritzburg College * Maritzburg Christian School * Maritzburg Preparatory School * Maritzburg Muslim School for Girls *

Merchiston Preparatory School Merchiston Preparatory School was founded in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa in 1892. It was founded by Miss Agnes Rowe and Miss Elizabeth Allan who were inspired by Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, Scotland. MPS History Pupils Merchiston P ...

* ML Sultan Secondary School * Mountain Rise Primary School * New Forest Primary School * Newholmes Primary School * Nizamia Islamic School * Nobanda Primary School * Northdale Primary School * Northlands Primary School * Northern Park Primary School * Northbury Park Secondary School * Orient Heights Primary School * Panorama Primary School * Pelham Senior Primary School * Pietermaritzburg Girls' High School * Prince Alfred Primary School * Ramatha Road Primary School * Raisethorpe Secondary School * Ridgeview Primary School * Rosefern Primary School * Russell High School * Scottsville Primary School * Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary * Shri Vishnu Primary School * Siyahlomula High School * Silver Heights Secondary School * Sobantu Secondary School * Springhaven Primary School * St. Charles College, Pietermaritzburg * St. John's Diocesan School for Girls * St Joseph's Theological Institute, Cedara * St. Nicholas Diocesan School * Suncrest Primary School *Sukuma Comprehensive Secondary * Sweetwaters Primary School * Thornhill Christian College * TPA Primary School * Union Bible Institute * Union Park Primary School *

* Voortrekker High School * W.A Lewitt Primary School * The Wykeham Collegiate * Woodlands Primary School * Woodlands Secondary School, Pietermaritzburg * Uminathi Christian College

Tertiary institutions

Pietermaritzburg has a well-developed higher system of public universities. Pietermaritzburg is served by two public universities,

and Durban University of Technology. There are also many private and public colleges operating in the city, some of the larger colleges are: Umgungundlovu TVET College,

Varsity College Varsity College is a primary and secondary school in Varsity Lakes, Queensland Varsity Lakes is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the , Varsity Lakes had a population of 15,026 people. The suburb was origin ...

, and Rosebank College.

Civil society

Pietermaritzburg is home to a number of prominent civil society organisations including the

Abahlali baseMjondolo Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM, , in English: "the residents of the shacks") is a socialist shack dwellers' movement in South Africa which organises land occupations, builds communes

(shackdwellers) movement, GroundWork, CINDI, PACSA, and the KwaZulu Natal Christian Council.

Notable residents

* Don Armand, rugby player (born 1988) *

Neil Adcock Neil Amwin Treharne Adcock (8 March 1931 – 6 January 2013) was a South African international cricketer who played in 26 Test matches. A tall aggressive fast bowler, he could lift the ball sharply off a length. He was the first South Afri ...

, Springbok cricketer and radio cricket commentator * Dale Benkenstein, former cricketer *

Kork Ballington Hugh Neville "Kork" Ballington (born 10 April 1951) is a South African former professional motorcycle racer. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1976 to 1982, most prominently as a member of the Kawasaki fac ...

, World 250cc and 350cc Motorcycle Champion * Melissa Carlton, Paralympic swimmer who represented Australia * Amod Cassimjee, one of the earliest known Indian settlers * Pat Cilliers, rugby player (born 1987) *

Andrew Dalby Andrew Dalby, (born 1947 in Liverpool) is an English linguist, translator and historian who has written articles and several books on a wide range of topics including food history, language, and Classical texts. Education and early career D ...

, fighter pilot, historian, sportsman, involuntary dog owner (born 1970) * Brendon Dedekind, swimmer (born 1976) * Bathabile Dlamini, leader of the

African National Congress Women's League The African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) is an auxiliary women's political organization of the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa. This organization has its precedent in the Bantu Women's League, and it oscillated from b ...

and Minister of Women in the Presidency, and Minister of Social Development (born 1962) * Matthew Dobson, Rugby Union player. Attended

& St. Charles College, Pietermaritzburg * Jon Ekerold, world 350cc motorcycle champion *

Sarel Erwee Sarel Erwee (born 10 November 1989) is a South African professional cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm off-break bowler who plays for KwaZulu Natal. He was born in Pietermaritzburg. He made his international debut for the So ...

, South Africa national cricket team player. Attended St. Charles College, Pietermaritzburg. * Brett Evans, (born 8 March 1982) South African Football (soccer) player attended

and Maritzburg College and played for Maritzburg City as an amateur *

Adrian Furnham Adrian Frank Furnham (born 3 February 1953) is a South African-born British BPS chartered occupational psychologist and chartered health psychologist. He is currently an adjunct professor at BI Norwegian Business School and professor at Univer ...

(born 1953), British-based organisational and applied psychologist and academic *

Hayden Griffin Hayden Griffin (23 January 1943 – 24 March 2013) was a stage designer, known for his work for the Royal Court Theatre and the Royal National Theatre in London. Griffin was "regarded by many as the finest stage designer of his generation". Early ...

(1943–2013), British stage designer *

Tim Groenewald Timothy Duncan Groenewald (born 10 January 1984) is an English-South African former professional cricketer. He played as a right-arm medium-fast bowler for Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Somerset and Kent County Cricket Clubs before retiring during t ...

, Derbyshire and Warwickshire Cricketer (born 1984) *

Archie Gumede Archibald Jacob Gumede (1914–1998) was a South African anti-apartheid activist, lawyer and politician. Gumede was born in Pietermaritzburg to Josiah Tshangana Gumede, an early African National Congress leader. Archie Gumede led the Natal deleg ...

, leader of the

United Democratic Front (South Africa) The United Democratic Front (UDF) was a South African popular front that existed from 1983 to 1991. The UDF comprised more than 400 public organizations including trade unions, students' unions, women's and parachurch organizations. The UDF ...

and Member of the

Parliament of South Africa The Parliament of the Republic of South Africa is South Africa's legislature; under the present Constitution of South Africa, the bicameral Parliament comprises a National Assembly and a National Council of Provinces. The current twenty-seve ...

* Adam Habib, vice-chancellor and principal of the University of the Witwatersrand (born 1965) * Jonathan Handley, singer-songwriter (born 1954), originally from Springs, founder of The Radio Rats who in 1979 had a hit single "ZX Dan" on Radio 5 (now 5FM) *

Bessie Head Bessie Amelia Emery Head (6 July 1937 – 17 April 1986) was a South African writer who, though born in South Africa, is usually considered Botswana's most influential writer. She wrote novels, short fiction and autobiographical works that are i ...

, writer, was born in Pietermaritzburg in 1937. * Roy Hesketh, (1915–1944) racing driver and South African Air Force pilot. *

Butch James Andrew David "Butch" James (born 8 January 1979) is a South African former professional rugby union player who represented 40 times and was a member of the team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup. His usual position was fly-half, though he also p ...

, Springbok and rugby player attended Maritzburg College from 1994 to 2000. He played for Colleges' 3rd team. * Stratford Johns, (22 September 1925 – 29 January 2002) British stage, film and television actor. Left for Britain in 1948. * Peter Johnstone, Park Villa FC (born 1970), left PMB in 2004 *

Craig Joubert Craig Paul Joubert (born 8 November 1977) is a South African professional rugby union referee and a Referee Talent Development Coach at World Rugby. Joubert officiated in domestic first class matches in South Africa since 2003, in matches in the ...

, international rugby union referee (born 8 November 1977). Attended

and Maritzburg College *

Jesse Kriel Jesse André Kriel (born 15 February 1994) is a South African professional rugby union player for the South Africa national team and Canon Eagles in the Japanese Top League. His regular playing position is as a utility back but can also pl ...

, Springbok rugby player (born 1994). Attended

and Maritzburg College * Charlie Llewellyn, cricketer (born 1876), first non-White Test cricketer for South Africa. * Mbulelo Mabizela, South African national football team player (born 1981) * Nduduzo Makhathini, jazz musician * Clinton Marius, writer, performer (born 1966) *

Thuso Mbedu Thuso Nokwanda Mbedu (born 8 July 1991) is a South African actress, She rose to prominence for her performance in the South African teen drama series '' Is'Thunzi'' for which she was nominated consecutively for an International Emmy in 2017 and ...

, actress (born 1991). Attended Pietermaritzburg Girls' High School * Jomu Mbili, cricketer (born 1981) *

, fast-bowling The Proteas cricketer 1929–2000 *

Phyllis McCarthy Phyllis McCarthy (12 March 1903 – 16 February 1986) was a South African breeder of and authority on Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs. She established the Glenaholm Kennels in 1949 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, played a seminal role in the Ri ...

, authority on and breeder of

Rhodesian Ridgeback The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a large dog breed bred in the Southern Africa region. Its forebears can be traced to the semi-domesticated ridged hunting and guardian dogs of the Khoikhoi. These were interbred with European dogs by the early colon ...

s * Cathcart William Methven (1849–1925), painter, engineer and architect * David Miller, cricketer (born 1989). Attended Maritzburg College. *

Greg Minnaar Greg Minnaar (born 13 November 1981) is a South African World Champion mountain bike racer competing in downhill cycling. He has won 4 World Championships, 3 World Cup Overall’s and has the most world cup wins ever, with 23 career victories. ...

, professional downhill mountain bike racer. He attended Carter High School. * Emmanuel Mkhize, cricketer (born 1989) * Zweli Mkhize, politician, former

Kwazulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is loca ...

premier, national minister and

n current minister of health (born 2 February 1956). Born and raised in Willowfountain. Lived in Ashburton, Pietermaritzburg *

Bryce Moon Bryce Moon (born 6 April 1986 in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal) is a South African football player who last played for Maritzburg United as a defender and midfielder. An attacking right-back and a decent crosser of the ball, Moon is nicknam ...

, (born 1986)

South Africa national football team The South Africa national soccer team represents South Africa in men's international soccer and it is run by the South African Football Association, the governing body for Soccer in South Africa. The team's nickname is Bafana Bafana (The Boys ...

(soccer) player was born in Pietermaritzburg and played for Pirates in his youth *

Ryan Moon Ryan Moon (born 15 September 1996) is a South African soccer player who plays as a forward who plays for Golden Arrows. Moon has previously played for Maritzburg United and Kaizer Chiefs, and has represented South Africa internationally. ...

player (born 15 September 1996). Attended Maritzburg College * Shaun Morgan, lead singer of

Seether Seether are a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The band originally performed under the name Saron Gas until 2002, when they moved to the United States and changed it to Seether to avoid confusion wi ...

, former resident of Pietermaritzburg, attended both

and Maritzburg College while he lived there. *

Nina Myskow Nina Myskow (born Janina Marcela Myskow) is a British journalist and television personality who was a columnist for '' The Sun'' and the '' News of the World'', under the byline "The Bitch on the Box", in the 1980s. She appeared on '' New Faces'' ...

, British journalist and television personality. Born in Pietermaritzburg and attended The Wykeham Collegiate, before moving to

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

with her family aged 15. * Siphesihle Ndlovu, Premier Soccer League and

player. * Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Premier Soccer League * Blade Nzimande (born 1958), South African national minister and president of the South African Communist Party. He attended Georgetown High School, Edendale & the University of Natal. *

Alan Paton Alan Stewart Paton (11 January 1903 – 12 April 1988) was a South African writer and anti-apartheid activist. His works include the novels '' Cry, the Beloved Country'' and '' Too Late the Phalarope''. Family Paton was born in Pietermaritzbu ...

, author of ''

Cry the Beloved Country ''Cry, the Beloved Country'' is a 1948 novel by South African writer Alan Paton. Set in the prelude to apartheid in South Africa, it follows a black village priest and a white farmer who must deal with news of a murder. American publisher Benne ...

'', was born and schooled ( Maritzburg College) in Pietermaritzburg. * Vyvyan Pearse (1891–1956), cricketer *

, cricketer (born 1980) *

Graeme Pope-Ellis Graeme "Pope" Pope-Ellis (born 26 July 1947 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) is a South African canoeist best known for his 46 consecutive year Dusi Canoe Marathon career, having won the race a record 15 times. Personal life Pope-Ellis grew ...

, canoeist. Attended Alexandra High School. *

Rowland Raw Rowland Raw (16 July 1884 – 7 August 1915) was an English first-class cricketer and British Army officer. Raw was born at Pietermaritzburg in the Colony of Natal to George and Edith Raw. He was educated in England at Clifton College, befo ...

(1884–1915), cricketer *

, national cricketer (born 1969) *

Lunga Shabalala Lunga Shabalala (born 22 May 1989), is a South African actor, TV presenter and model. He rose to fame as a presenter on the SABC 1 entertainment and variety TV show, ''Selimathunzi''. He got his first acting role on the soap opera '' The River, ...

, (born 1989), TV presenter, TV personality and actor. He attended Maritzburg College. * Tom Sharpe, novelist, who described the city as "half the size of a New York cemetery and twice as dead". * Peter Leslie Smith, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon (born 1958) *

Guy Spier Guy Spier (born February 4, 1966) is a Zurich-based investor. He is the author of ''The Education of a Value Investor''. Spier is the manager of the Aquamarine Fund with $350 million in assets. He is well known for bidding US$650,100 with Mohni ...

, value investor (born 4 February 1966 in Grey's hospital). *

Dale Stewart Dale William Stewart (born 30 November 1979) is a South African musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the South African rock band Seether Seether are a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa ...

, bassist of

, former resident of Pietemaritzburg. *

, Springbok rugby player (born 1967). Born in Pietermaritzburg, attended Maritzburg College and University of Natal *

Darian Townsend Darian Roy Townsend (born 28 August 1984) is a competition swimmer and Olympic gold medalist who competed for South Africa. He became a U.S. citizen during the summer of 2014, and has subsequently represented the United States in international ...

, Olympic swimmer. Attended

and Maritzburg College * Kevin Volans, composer (born 1949) *

Lance Woolridge Lance Woolridge (born 30 July 1991) is a rally driver from South Africa. A two-time Class T champion in the South African Cross Country Series, he was signed by Veloce Racing as reserve driver for the inaugural season of the new electric off-r ...

, rally driver * Philani Zulu, Premier Soccer League player * Dumisani Zuma, Premier Soccer League player *

Lwandiswa Zuma Lwandiswa Zuma (born 11 July 1996) is a South African first-class cricketer. He was included in the Free State cricket team squad for the 2015 Africa T20 Cup. In September 2018, he was named in KwaZulu-Natal Inland's squad for the 2018 Africa T2 ...

South African first-class cricketer (born 11 July 1996) attended Maritzburg College

Various

*Built in 1900, the City Hall was then the largest all-brick building in the southern hemisphere. It was declared a national monument in 1969. *At 14 metres high, the statue ''Pegasus'' adorning the entrance of the Golden Horse Casino was the largest statue of a horse in the world. However, as of July 2010, the statue has been demolished due to internal structural damage.

Twin towns and sister cities

Notes

Bibliography

* Jenkins, G. 1971. A Century of History: the story of Potchefstroom. 2nd ed. AA Balkema. Cape Town. 120 p.

External links

*
Pietermaritzburg

Pietermaritzburg Tourism

Pietermaritzburg News

Pietermaritzburg
{{Authority control 1838 establishments in South Africa Cities in South Africa Populated places established in 1838 Populated places founded by Afrikaners Populated places in the Msunduzi Local Municipality Provincial capitals in South Africa Second Boer War concentration camps

History

Name

Education

Other historical events

Capital status

Economy

Coat of arms

Transport

Road

Air

Rail

Bus

Taxis

Integrated Rapid Public Transport (IRPT)

Geography

Climate

Sport

Tourism

Education

Schools

Tertiary institutions

Civil society

Notable residents

Various

Twin towns and sister cities

See also

Notes

Bibliography

External links