The capital of KwaZulu-Natal is the beautiful and historically rich city of Pietermaritzburg. The original Zulu name was umGungundlovu which is, still today, the name used for the district authority. The city is also commonly known as Maritzburg.
In 1838 after the Voortrekkers had won the battle of Blood River against the huge Zulu force, Pietermaritzburg was founded and named after the two Trek leaders Pieter Retief and Gerrit Maritz who had been murdered at Dingaan’s kraal. In 1843 the British took control of the town and declared it the administrative centre for KwaZulu-Natal Province. Today the British influence can be seen in the many Edwardian and Victorian Buildings and charming pedestrian lanes that abound the city.
Standing in Church Street in the city centre of Pietermaritzburg is a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi which brings to mind an incident that took place in 1893 when Gandhi was travelling by train to Pretoria. He had a first class ticket but a white man objected to his presence in a first class compartment which resulted in him being ordered to move to the back of the train. Gandhi refused and was removed from the train at Pietermaritzburg where he spent a very cold night in a waiting room at the station. This incident resulted in Gandhi’s reaching a decision to remain in South Africa to fight the discrimination against the Indians.
Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal provides perfect access to the many attractions to be found in the city as well as the surrounding areas. Explore the suburbs with their tree lined streets that have a definite colonial atmosphere, shop in the wide range of outlets or dine in the many available restaurants. Take advantage of the many recreational activities including Fort Napier with its Military exhibition.
South Africa has 5 national museums and the Natal museum is one of them. Besides seeing the history of Natal, there are archaeology displays, animal displays, art and a section on Palaeontology. After touring the museums, visit the resorts and game reserves to be found in the surrounding areas of the Midlands and the Drakensberg of KwaZulu-Natal.
Accommodation is varied in Pietermaritzburg and the surrounding towns, offering self catering, guest houses, Bed and Breakfast and hotels
