Pietermaritzburg

Pietermaritzburg is the capital city of the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa and the second-largest urban center in the province. It is located inland, roughly 80 kilometers northwest of Durban, and sits along the Msunduzi River, which runs through the city. The city serves as the administrative seat of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and is the main urban center in the Msunduzi Local Municipality within the uMgungundlovu District.

The city was founded in 1838 by Voortrekkers Piet Uys and Gerrit Maritz and was named in their honor. It grew as a political and commercial hub during the colonial era. One of the defining moments in its history occurred in 1893, when Mohandas K. Gandhi was removed from a first-class railway carriage in Pietermaritzburg, an event that helped inspire his later nonviolent resistance campaign. Pietermaritzburg preserves a number of historic buildings and museums, including the Natal Museum, which documents the region’s natural and cultural heritage.

Education and culture are prominent in Pietermaritzburg. The city hosts a campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN); the university’s Pietermaritzburg campus traces its origins to the former University of Natal before the 2004 merger that formed UKZN. The area is also associated with the Midlands Meander tourist route and hosts various arts and cultural institutions, including venues and events linked to the long-running Comrades Marathon, which has historic ties to the city as a traditional finish point for the race on some years.

Economically, Pietermaritzburg centers on government services, education, and retail, with surrounding areas contributing to agriculture and forestry. Transport links include the N3 corridor, the Natal Main Line railway, and Pietermaritzburg Airport, supporting regional connectivity.