The city of Pietermaritzburg, situated in the Msunduzi Municipality, is the capital city of the Kwa-Zulu Natal province. Pietermaritzburg has come a long way from the quiet, colonial outpost it once was. Today, it is a modern South African city that is home to over 600 000 people of diverse cultures.
Pietermaritzburg has a diverse economy with a robust manufacturing sector that is excelling in exports to markets as diverse as aluminium products, cut flowers, automotive components and furniture. The city has achieved unprecedented growth in economic activity since 2003, with business confidence at a high of 83. The property and retail sectors have grown by 30% since 2003. Major recent developments include the Liberty Midlands Mall, the Golden Horse Casino and Hotel, ‘Motor City’ – a zone of all the established motor dealerships, and Victoria Country Club Golf Estate.
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The city is the legislative and administrative capital of KwaZulu-Natal, and houses the Supreme Court and Deeds Office for the province. It boasts an excellent network of road, rail and air linkages. It was recently voted the second most desirable city to live in, a reflection of the excellent residential areas, an array of the top schools in the country including the internationally acclaimed University of KZN, and the host of major sporting and other events like the Comrades and Dusi Marathons, the Midmar Mile, the Royal Agricultural Show, Art and Cars in the Park.