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

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN) is a Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the government merged the Zulu people, Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu language, Zulu) and ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

after

Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...

. It was named in 1838 and is currently governed by the

Msunduzi Local Municipality Msunduzi Municipality () is a local municipality within the Umgungundlovu District Municipality, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It encompasses the city of Pietermaritzburg, which is the capital of KwaZulu-Natal and the main economi ...

. The town was named in Zulu after King

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

's royal homestead uMgungundlovu. Pietermaritzburg is popularly called Maritzburg and is often informally abbreviated to PMB. It is a regionally-important industrial hub, producing

aluminium Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...

, timber and dairy products, and is the main economic hub of

uMgungundlovu District Municipality uMgungundlovu is one of the 11 district municipalities ("districts") of KwaZulu-Natal province. The seat of uMgungundlovu is Pietermaritzburg. The majority of its 1 million+ residents speak Zulu (2001 Census). The district code is DC22. Geogr ...

. The public sector is a major employer in the city due to local, district and provincial government offices 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 public research 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 ...

. It had a population of 228,549 in 1991; the current population is estimated at over 600,000 residents (including neighbouring townships) and is a melting pot of different cultures & races, including Indian, African, White & Coloured people. Prior to December 1st 2023,

vehicle registration plates A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate (British English, British, Indian English , Indian and Australian English), license plate (American English) or licence plate (Canadian English), is a metal or plastic plate attached t ...

in Pietermaritzburg started with NP - N for Natal & P for Pietermaritzburg. Pietermaritzburg is an emerging metropolitan area.

History

The city was occupied by Voortrekkers, in April 1838 following the murder of

Piet Retief Pieter Mauritz Retief (12 November 1780 – 6 February 1838) was a '' Voortrekker'' leader. Settling in 1814 in the frontier region of the Cape Colony, he later assumed command of punitive expeditions during the sixth Xhosa War. He became a s ...

and his seventy-strong party at the Zulu Capital, Mgungundlovu (6 February 1838), when seeking land to settle around Port Natal (The Natal-Land Treaty), and from where the reprisa
Wenkommando
departed (November 1838) to defeat

at the

Battle of Blood River The Battle of Blood River or Voortrekker-Zulu War (16 December 1838) was fought on the bank of the Blood River, Ncome River, in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa between 464 Voortrekkers ("Pioneers"), led by Andries Pretorius, and an es ...

(16 December 1838). Pietermaritzburg is approximately direct from the Zulu capital, Mgungundlovu. Prior to the battle (9 December 1838) a vow was taken that if the Boers were granted victory over the Zulu, 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 Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

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

, 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 dist ...

, 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 (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

was on his way to

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

, 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 Station may refer to: Agriculture * Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production * Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle ** Cattle statio ...

, Gandhi made the momentous decision to stay on in

and fight the

racial discrimination Racial discrimination is any discrimination against any individual on the basis of their Race (human categorization), race, ancestry, ethnicity, ethnic or national origin, and/or Human skin color, skin color and Hair, hair texture. Individuals ...

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

nonviolent resistance Nonviolent resistance, 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, construct ...

Satyagraha Satyāgraha (from ; ''satya'': "truth", ''āgraha'': "insistence" or "holding firmly to"), or "holding firmly to truth",' or "truth force", is a particular form of nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. Someone who practises satyagraha is ...

. 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 (; , ) was the historical predecessor to the present-day South Africa, Republic of South Africa. It came into existence on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the British Cape Colony, Cape, Colony of Natal, Natal, Tra ...

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: , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...

, 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 form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...

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

(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 Shaka kaSenzangakhona (–24 September 1828), also known as Shaka (the) Zulu () and Sigidi kaSenzangakhona, was the king of the Zulu Kingdom from 1816 to 1828. One of the most influential monarchs of the Zulu, he ordered wide-reaching reform ...

, king of the

Zulus Zulu people (; ) are a native people of Southern Africa of the Nguni. The Zulu people are the largest ethnic group and nation in South Africa, living mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. They originated from Nguni communities who took p ...

. Maritz died of illness on 23 September 1838 near the present-day town of

Estcourt Estcourt () is a town in the uThukela District of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The main economic activity is farming with large bacon and processed food factories situated around the town. The N3 freeway passes close to the town, link ...

, 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. That 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 The University of Natal was a university in the former South African province Natal which later became KwaZulu-Natal. The University of Natal no longer exists as a distinct legal entity, as it was incorporated into the University of KwaZulu- ...

was founded in 1910. In 1922 the University extended to

. 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. *The

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

, 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, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...

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 A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploitati ...

here during the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

to house

Boer Boers ( ; ; ) are the descendants of the proto Afrikaans-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controlled the Dutch ...

women and children. *In 1919 communist activist

David Ivon Jones David Ivon Jones (18 October 1883 – 13 April 1924) was a Welsh people, Welsh communist, newspaper editor, and political prisoner, most famous as a leading opponent of Apartheid, South African racial segregation and for being one of the first ...

was arrested for distributed an anti-segregation leaflet he co-authored in Pietermaritzburg. His trial became the first major court case against communism in South African history. *During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Italian

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person 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 war for a ...

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

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

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

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...

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 Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

Capital status

Pietermaritzburg was the capital of the

Colony of Natal The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on 4 May 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies t ...

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 organised int ...

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

Inkatha Freedom Party The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP; ) is a conservative political party in South Africa, which is a part of the current South African Third Cabinet of Cyril Ramaphosa, government of national unity together with the African National Congress (ANC). A ...

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 Ulundi, also known as Mahlabathini, is a town in the Zululand District Municipality. At one time the capital of the Zulu Kingdom in South Africa and later the capital of the Bantustan of KwaZulu, Ulundi now lies in KwaZulu-Natal Province (of whi ...

. 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 present-day South Africa from January to early July 1879 between forces of the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Two famous battles of the war were the Zulu victory at Battle of Isandlwana, Isandlwana and th ...

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

bantustan A Bantustan (also known as a Bantu peoples, Bantu homeland, a Black people, black homeland, a Khoisan, black state or simply known as a homeland; ) was a territory that the National Party (South Africa), National Party administration of the ...

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 Mangos ...

, 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 political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the 1994 South African general election, fir ...

(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 Dr. Martens, also known as Doc Martens, Docs, or DMs, is a British footwear and clothing brand. Although most known for its footwear, it also makes a range of accessories, including clothing and bags. The footwear is distinguished by its air-c ...

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.

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 ''Elephas'' species. It is the largest living land animal in Asia and the second largest living Elephantidae, elephantid in the world. It is char ...

rather than an

African elephant African elephants are members of the genus ''Loxodonta'' comprising two living elephant species, the African bush elephant (''L. africana'') and the smaller African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''). Both are social herbivores with grey skin. ...

. 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 Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...

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. The Union Jack was also used as the official flag of several British colonies and dominions before they adopted their own national flags. It is sometimes a ...

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-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging Gauteng ( , ; Sotho-Tswana for 'place of gold'; or ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts for only 1.5% of the coun ...

conurbation. The R33 connects Pietermaritzburg with Greytown and

Paulpietersburg Paulpietersburg () is a small town in KZN, 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. The town is 72 km south of P ...

, while the R56 connects Pietermaritzburg with

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

and

Kokstad Kokstad is a town in the Harry Gwala District Municipality of the 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, ...

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 serving the twin cities of Johannesburg and the main capital of South Africa, Pretoria. It is situated in Kempton Park, Gauteng. It serves as the primary airport for domestic and ...

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 Cape Town International Airport is the primary international airport serving the city of Cape Town, and is the List of South African airports by passenger movements, second-busiest airport in South Africa and List of busiest airports in Afric ...

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 Shosholoza Meyl is a division of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) that operates long-distance (inter-city rail, intercity) passenger rail services. It operates various train routes across South Africa, carrying approximately 4 mi ...

. It has been proposed that the

Metrorail METRORail is the light rail system in Houston, Texas (United States). In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of . METRORail ranks as the second most-traveled light rail system in the Southern United States and the List ...

commuter rail system be expanded from

Cato Ridge Cato Ridge is a town in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa named after George Christopher Cato (1814–1893), the first mayor of Durban. Organisationally and administratively it is included in the Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality as a ...

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 Instrumentation is a collective term for measuring instruments, used for indicating, measuring, and recording physical quantities. It is also a field of study about the art and science about making measurement instruments, involving the related ...

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 subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

: Cwa). Summers are warm and occasionally hot, with frequent rainfall. Winters are dry with high

diurnal temperature variation In meteorology, diurnal temperature variation is the variation between a high air temperature and a low temperature that occurs during the same day. Temperature lag Temperature lag, also known as thermal inertia, is an important factor in diur ...

, with light

air frost Freezing, available onlinlibrary.wmo.int/ref> or frost occurs when the air temperature falls below the freezing point of water (0 °C, 32 °F, 273 K). This is usually measured at the height of 1.2 metres above the ground surfac ...

s 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 The Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon of approximately which is run annually in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It is the world's largest and oldest ultramarathon race. The dire ...

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 World War II, Second World War. Doug Aldridge, Colin Dove, O ...

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 (known as the Shell plc, Shell Drivers Cup in 1970 and the Castrol Springbok Series in 1971) was a sports car racing series based in Southern Africa. The series ran from 1965 until 1973. The series w ...

and national

Formula Atlantic Formula Atlantic is a specification of open-wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club ...

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 racing driver and motorcycle road racer, who competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from to , and Formula One between and . Nicknamed "the Bike", Hailwood was ...

. 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 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 Maritzburg College is a State school, semi-private English language, English-medium high school for boys situated in the city of Pietermaritzburg in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest boys' high school i ...

. *Former South African Cricketer

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

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 former England international cricketer. He is regarded as one of the greatest England batsmen to have played the game, and renowned for his competitive, and often controversial nature. He was a ri ...

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 watercraft, 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 paddles. In British English, the term ' ...

race, the Dusi Canoe Marathon, from Pietermaritzburg to

. The route follows the Msunduzi River into the

Mgeni River The Umgeni River or Mgeni River () 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. It is generally agreed its name means "the ...

, 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 is a

multi-purpose stadium A multi-purpose stadium is a type of stadium designed to be easily used for multiple types of events. While any stadium could potentially host more than one type of sport or event, this concept usually refers to a design philosophy that stres ...

, and is mostly used for football matches. Until 2023, it was used by Maritzburg United, after which it was reserved for Royal AM. *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 The St Lawrence Ground is a cricket ground in Canterbury, Kent. It is the home ground of Kent County Cricket Club and since 2013 has been known as The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, due to commercial sponsorship. It is one of the oldest grounds o ...

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

, 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

* Alexandra High School * Carter High School (South Africa) *

Cordwalles Preparatory School Cordwalles is a private school, private, boarding school, boarding Preparatory school (UK), preparatory school for boys founded in 1912. It is located in Pietermaritzburg, the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Origins Cordwalles ...

Epworth School Epworth School is a private Christian School with a Methodist ethos, located on a campus in Scottsville in Pietermaritzburg in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Epworth is an independent school (and a member of the Independent Scho ...

* Hilton college *

Michaelhouse Michaelhouse is a full boarding senior school for boys founded in 1896. It is located in the Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal, Balgowan valley in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Spear’s Schools Index 2025 reco ...

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 Pr ...

Pietermaritzburg Girls' High School Pietermaritzburg Girls' High School (GHS) is a semi-private, all girls, day and boarding school situated in the urban city of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. History The school was founded in 1920 in the family mansion of Morning ...

* Russell High School * St. Charles College, Pietermaritzburg * St. John's Diocesan School for Girls *

St. Nicholas Diocesan School St. Nicholas Diocesan School is a diocesan Anglican school, located in Pietermaritzburg, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, founded in 1990. St. Nicholas is an independent school catering for boys and girls in Grades RR to 12, and is a member of the ...

The Wykeham Collegiate The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC) is a private girls' school situated in Clarendon, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The name is a combination of the two schools from which it was amalgamated. The first, Wykeham School, was founded in 1 ...

Tertiary institutions

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

and

Durban University of Technology The Durban University of Technology (DUT) is a multi-campus university situated in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was formed in 2002 following the merger of Technikon Natal and ML Sultan Technikon and it was initially known as the Durban In ...

. There are also many private and public colleges operating in the city, such as

Varsity College Varsity College is a primary and secondary school in Varsity Lakes (Queensland, Australia). Infrastructure On 25 July 2001, Stage 1 of the school was officially opened by Hon Peter Beattie (Premier of Queensland). On 13 August 2002, stage 2 ...

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 primarily campaigns for land, housing and dignity, to democratise society from below and against xenophobia. ...

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

Notable people

* 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 Afric ...

, Springbok cricketer and radio cricket commentator *

Cade Carmichael Cade Carmichael (born 8 March 2002) is a South African-born Irish cricketer, currently playing for Northern Knights in domestic cricket and Instonians in club cricket. Domestic career Carmichael was influenced by his brother and father, while p ...

, Irish Cricketer (2025- ) * Arthur Bartman, (1972-2019),

Premier Soccer League The Premier Soccer League (PSL) is the administrative body for professional soccer leagues and cups in South Africa. It is based in Johannesburg, and was founded in 1996 following an agreement between the National Soccer League and the remnant ...

goalkeeper *

Dale Benkenstein Dale Martin Benkenstein (born 9 June 1974) is a South African former cricketer who was an all-rounder. He is also a former first-team coach at Lancashire and Hampshire. Benkenstein was a member of the South Africa team that won the 1998 ICC Kno ...

, former cricketer * Kork Ballington, World 250cc and 350cc Motorcycle Champion * Melissa Carlton, Paralympic swimmer who represented Australia * Amod Cassimjee, one of the earliest known Indian settlers *

Pat Cilliers Patric Michael Cilliers (born 3 March 1988) is a rugby union player who won 6 caps for in 2012. He has previously played for the , and in Super Rugby and has played Currie Cup rugby for the , and , in Europe he has played for Premiership Ru ...

, rugby player (born 1987) * Brendon Dedekind, swimmer (born 1976) *

Bathabile Dlamini Bathabile Dlamini (born 10 September 1962) is a South African politician who was the President of the African National Congress (ANC) ANC Women's League, Women's League from 2015 to 2022. She was previously the Minister of Women, Youth and Person ...

, 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 ...

and Minister of Women in the Presidency, and Minister of Social Development (born 1962) *

Jon Ekerold Jonathan "Jon" Ekerold (born 8 October 1946) is a South African former professional motorcycle racer. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from to Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Ekerold is one of the few ...

, world 350cc motorcycle champion * Sarel Erwee,

South Africa national cricket team The South Africa men's national cricket team, also known as the Proteas, represents South Africa in men's international cricket and is administered by Cricket South Africa. South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council. T ...

player. Attended St. Charles College, Pietermaritzburg. * Brett Evans, (born 1982) South African Football (soccer) player; attended

and

and played for Maritzburg City as an amateur *

Adrian Furnham Adrian Frank Furnham (born 3 February 1953) is a South African-born British British Psychological Society, BPS chartered Industrial and organizational psychology, occupational psychologist and chartered Health psychology, health psychologist. He ...

(born 1953), British-based organisational and applied psychologist and academic * Hayden Griffin (1943–2013), British stage designer * Tim Groenewald, Derbyshire and Warwickshire Cricketer (born 1984) *

Archie Gumede Archibald Jacob Gumede OLS (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 ...

, leader of the

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

and Member of the

Parliament of South Africa The Parliament of the Republic of South Africa is South Africa's legislature. It is located in Cape Town; the country's legislative capital city, capital. Under the present Constitution of South Africa, the bicameralism, bicameral Parliamen ...

Adam Habib Adam Mahomed Habib (born 1965) is a South African academic administrator serving as Vice-Chancellor of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London since 1 January 2021. Previously he served as Vice-Chancellor and Principal ...

, vice-chancellor and principal of the University of the Witwatersrand (born 1965) *

Jonathan Handley Commodore Jonathan Handley is the Deputy Director, Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Center of Excellence. Early life Handley was born in Southsea, and was educated at Felsted School Felsted School is a co-educational independent sc ...

(born 1954), singer-songwriter, originally from Springs, founder of The Radio Rats; 1979 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 ...

(born 1937), writer, born in Pietermaritzburg * Roy Hesketh (1915–1944), racing driver and

South African Air Force The South African Air Force (SAAF) is the air warfare branch of South African National Defence Force, with its headquarters in Pretoria. The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920. The Air Force saw service in World War II a ...

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 ...

, Springbok and rugby player; attended

from 1994 to 1996 *

Stratford Johns Alan Edgar Stratford Johnson (22 September 1925 – 29 January 2002), known as Stratford Johns, was a British stage, film and television actor known for playing the role of senior CID officer Charlie Barlow, a character he originated in the lo ...

(1925–2002), British actor * Peter Johnstone (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 ...

(born 1977), international rugby union referee; attended

and Maritzburg College *

Jesse Kriel Jesse André Kriel (born 15 February 1994) is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Canon Eagles in the Japanese Top League and South Africa national rugby union team, South Africa national rugby team. Hi ...

(born 1994), Springbok rugby player; attended Merchiston Preparatory School and Maritzburg College *

Charlie Llewellyn Charles Bennett "Buck" Llewellyn (29 September 1876 – 7 June 1964) was the first non-white South African Test cricketer. He appeared in 15 Test matches for South Africa between 1895 and 1912, and played in English cricket as a professional for ...

(born 1876), cricketer, first

non-White The term "person of color" (: people of color or persons of color; abbreviated POC) is used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is associated with, the United States. From th ...

Test cricketer for South Africa * Mbulelo Mabizela (born 1981), South African national football team player * Nduduzo Makhathini, jazz musician * Clinton Marius (born 1966) writer, performer *

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 Award, Intern ...

, (born 1991), actress; attended

* Jomu Mbili (born 1981), cricketer *

, fast-bowling The Proteas cricketer 1929–2000 * Phyllis McCarthy, authority on and breeder of

Rhodesian Ridgeback The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a large dog breed originally bred in Southern Africa. The original breed standard was drafted by F.R. Barnes, in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), in 1922, and approved by the Kennel Union of Southern Africa, ...

s * Ntuthuko Mchunu (born 1999), rugby union player; attended Piet Retief Primary School &

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

Greg Minnaar Greg Minnaar (born 13 November 1981) is a South African World Champion Mountain bike racing, mountain bike racer competing in downhill cycling. He has won four world championships. Minnaar has the most men's world cup wins, with 23 career vict ...

, professional downhill mountain bike racer; attended Carter High School *

Emmanuel Mkhize Emmanuel Mkhize (born 4 July 1989) is a South African cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler who plays for KwaZulu-Natal. He was born in Pietermaritzburg. Mkhize currently coaches cricket at Michaelhouse ...

(born 1989), cricketer *

Zweli Mkhize Zwelini Lawrence Mkhize (born 2 February 1956) is a South African medical doctor and politician who served as the Minister of Health from May 2019 until his resignation on 5 August 2021. He previously served as the Minister of Cooperative Govern ...

(born 1956), politician, former

Kwazulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN) is a Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the government merged the Zulu people, Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu language, Zulu) and ...

premier; lived in Ashburton, Pietermaritzburg * Bryce Moon, (born 1986)

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

(soccer) player was born in Pietermaritzburg and played for Pirates in his youth * Ryan Moon (born 1996),

player; attended Maritzburg College *

Shaun Morgan Shaun Morgan Welgemoed (, born 21 December 1978) is a South African musician. He is the lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Seether. Early life Morgan spent most of his early life in South Africa.Bottomley, CSeeth ...

, lead singer of

Seether Seether are a South African Rock music, rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng. 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 with ...

, former resident of Pietermaritzburg, attended both

and Maritzburg College *

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'', an ...

, British journalist and television personality; born in Pietermaritzburg; attended

Siphesihle Ndlovu Siphesihle Ndlovu (born 30 September 1996) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Premier Soccer League side Kaizer Chiefs and the South Africa national team. An academy graduate of Maritzburg United, he ma ...

and

player * Nkosingiphile Ngcobo,

Blade Nzimande Bonginkosi Emmanuel "Blade" Nzimande (born 14 April 1958 in Edendale near Pietermaritzburg) is a South African politician, sociologist, and former anti-apartheid activist who is currently serving as Minister of Science, Technology and Innov ...

(born 1958), South African national minister and president of the South African Communist Party *

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'' (1948), '' Too Late the Phalarope'' (1953), and the short story ''The Wa ...

, 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 Ben ...

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

(born 1980), cricketer for the

England National Cricket Team The England men's cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club (the MCC) since 1903. ...

. Attended Maritzburg College * Graeme Pope-Ellis, canoeist. Attended Alexandra High School. * Brian Raubenheimer, racing diver * Rowland Raw (1884–1915), cricketer *

Jo-anne Reyneke Jo-Anne Reyneke (born 2 June 1988) is a South African actress and voice-over artist best known for her television soap opera roles as Pearl on SABC 2's ''Muvhango'' and as Prudence Oliphant, an office manager for Redemption Records, on e.tv's '' ...

, (born 1988), actress. Attended Russell High School (Pietermaritzburg) *

(born 1969), national cricketer *

Matthew Sates Matthew Sates (born 28 July 2003) is a South African swimmer. He is the African record holder in the short course 200 metre freestyle, 400 metre freestyle, and 200 metre individual medley as well as the South African record holder in the 400 ...

(born 2003), Olympic games swimmer. Attended St. Charles College, Pietermaritzburg *

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; Maritzburg College *

Bandile Shandu Bandile Shandu (born 19 January 1995) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the South African Premier Division club Orlando Pirates. He was born in Pietermaritzburg South Africa, and made his professional de ...

, (born 1995),

player; attended Maritzburg College *

Tom Sharpe Thomas Ridley Sharpe (30 March 1928 – 6 June 2013) was an English satire, satirical novelist, best known for his ''Wilt (novel), Wilt'' series, as well as ''Porterhouse Blue'' and ''Blott on the Landscape,'' all three of which were adapted fo ...

, novelist, who described the city as "half the size of a New York cemetery and twice as dead" * Peter Leslie Smith (born 1958), auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon *

Guy Spier Guy Spier (; born February 4, 1966) is a Zurich-based Swiss-German-Israeli investor. He is the author of ''The Education of a Value Investor''. Spier is the manager of the Aquamarine Fund with $400 million in assets. He is well known for bidding ...

(born 1966), value investor * Dale Stewart, bassist of

, former resident *

(born 1967), Springbok rugby player; born in Pietermaritzburg, attended Maritzburg College and

Frank Talbot Frank Hamilton Talbot, (3 January 1930 – 15 October 2024) was a South-African-born Australian ichthyologist and marine biologist. He was director of the Australian Museum and the only Australian to have become director of the Smithsonian Nat ...

(1930–2024), Australian

ichthyologist Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha). According to FishBase, 35,800 species of fish had been described as of March 2 ...

born in Pietermaritzburg; former director of the

Australian Museum The Australian Museum, originally known as the Colonial Museum or Sydney Museum. is a heritage-listed museum at 1 William Street, Sydney, William Street, Sydney central business district, Sydney CBD, New South Wales. It is the oldest natural ...

Darian Townsend Darian Roy Townsend (born 28 August 1984) was a competition swimmer who swam for the University of Arizona and a 2004 Athens Olympic gold medalist in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay who competed for South Africa. He became a U.S. citizen durin ...

, Olympic swimmer. Attended

and Maritzburg College *

Kevin Volans Kevin Volans (born 26 July 1949) is a South African-born Irish composer and pianist. He studied with Karlheinz Stockhausen and Mauricio Kagel in Cologne in the 1970s and later became associated with the ''Neue Einfachheit'' (New Simplicity) mo ...

, composer (born in Pietermaritzburg, 26 July, 1949) * Lance Woolridge, rally driver * Philani Zulu,

player * Dumisani Zuma,

player * Lwandiswa Zuma (born 1996), South African first-class cricketer; 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 people

Various

Twin towns and sister cities

See also

Notes

Bibliography

External links