54-569: The Dusi Canoe Marathon is a marathon canoe race held over three days between Pietermaritzburg and Durban , South Africa . It is run along the Msunduzi and Mgeni Rivers over a total distance of 120 kilometres (75 mi). The race attracts between 1600 and 2000 paddlers each year, making it the biggest canoeing event on the African continent. It is organised by the Natal Canoe Club. The clubhouse
108-405: A brief stint as the interim Vice-Chancellor in 2004 he was formally appointed as the founding Vice-Chancellor of the newly merged University of KwaZulu-Natal. He was installed at a ceremony on 30 September 2005. Professor Makgoba served two five-year terms of office and retired in 2015. His tenure, however, was plagued with controversies. Makgoba is said to have created a "culture of hostility" at
162-612: A bronze statue of Gandhi stands in Church Street, in the city center. In 1910, when the Union of South Africa was formed, Natal became a province of the Union, and Pietermaritzburg became one of the capitals of the country. During apartheid , 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
216-588: A coat of arms in 1861. 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. By 1931, the council had approved new artwork in which the stars were placed on a radiant sun. The arms were registered with the Natal Provincial Administration in November 1950. Many early renditions of
270-635: A reduced number of weekend flights. It once operated flights to Cape Town International Airport in Cape Town – this route was terminated in 2019. 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. The Pietermaritzburg Municipality historically operated
324-578: 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 Durban to Johannesburg daily, where Pietermaritzburg
378-579: Is Prof Thabo, youngest Dean in South Africa and P-rated NRF researcher. UKZN is home to various student organizations such as debating unions, film clubs, poetry societies, and sports teams. The UKZN Rugby team - The UKZN Impi - features in the highly contested Varsity Cup national rugby competition, and the Howard College Debating Union competes in both the World Universities Debating Championships as well as
432-580: 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 of Durban-Westville . The university was formed by the merger of the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville, in 2004. The Council of the University of Natal voted on 31 May 2002 to offer
486-682: Is located on the banks of the Msunduzi River , at the exact start point of the race. The Dusi Canoe Marathon is held over a period of three days, with each day having a defined beginning and end. The average finishing time for top teams is under nine hours. The race begins at the Natal Canoe Club at Camps Drift in Pietermaritzburg. The first stage is 42 kilometres (26 mi) and includes 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) of portaging. The 46 kilometres (29 mi) second stage to Inanda Dam includes
540-542: Is made up of four colleges, which are in turn made up of several schools. In most cases, a subdivision is spread across one or more of the university's campuses. For example, the Chemistry is in both the Pietermaritzburg and Westville campuses. An institute built in cooperation with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute is the new KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute for Tuberculosis and HIV , opened in 2012. It
594-753: Is on the N3 highway , the primary route between the harbour city of Durban , some 90 kilometres (56 mi) away, and the Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging conurbation. The R33 connects Pietermaritzburg with Greytown and Paulpietersburg , while the R56 connects Pietermaritzburg with Ixopo and Kokstad . The city is served by Pietermaritzburg Airport , which has regular scheduled services to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. There are 4 flights to Johannesburg and 4 return flights daily, with
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#1732859357373648-570: Is on the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine campus. The university is geographically divided into five distinct campuses, which partially correspond to its managerial and academic divisions. Two campuses (Edgewood and the Medical School) house specific academic divisions (education and medicine respectively), but the remainder of the university's academic divisions span Howard College, Pietermaritzburg and Westville. Pietermaritzburg campus
702-670: Is ranked in the 401-500 bracket by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and in the 701-750 bracket by the QS World University Rankings 2018. As of March 2021, it was ranked in the 801-1000 bracket by the QS World University Rankings. There have been a number of controversies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal since its foundation. Firstly, there have been several staff strikes and student protests , with some protests from 2009 onward involving police intervention and
756-714: Is served by two public universities, University of KwaZulu-Natal and Durban University of Technology . There are also many private and public colleges operating in the city, such as Varsity College . Pietermaritzburg is home to a number of prominent civil society organisations including the Abahlali baseMjondolo (shackdwellers) movement, GroundWork, CINDI, PACSA, and the KwaZulu Natal Christian Council. University of KwaZulu-Natal The University of KwaZulu-Natal ( UKZN ; Zulu : INyuvesi yakwaZulu-Natali , Afrikaans : Universiteit van KwaZulu-Natal )
810-657: Is the capital and second-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa after Durban . It was named in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality . The town was named in Zulu after King Dingane's royal homestead uMgungundlovu . Pietermaritzburg is popularly called Maritzburg in Afrikaans and is often informally abbreviated to PMB . It is a regionally important industrial hub, producing aluminium , timber and dairy products, as well as
864-473: Is the second to last stop before Durban. Pietermaritzburg has two types of taxi services: metered taxis 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
918-570: The Battle of Blood River (16 December 1838). Pietermaritzburg is approximately 160 km (100 mi) 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
972-660: The South African National Universities Debating Championships . UKZN established the Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) in 1996. The CCA is a multi-disciplinary arts organisation based within the School of Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It coordinates several respected annual festivals, providing students with access to creative platforms and interesting opportunities aimed at developing their artistic talents. The four main festivals organized by
1026-411: The 2004 merger. Westville offers a range of degrees, and will soon be the main home of the disciplines of commerce and management. Nelson Mandela medical school campus, created in 1950, was originally a racially segregated part of the University of Natal reserved for non-white students. It was one of the few tertiary institutions legally allowed to provide education to black people under apartheid . It
1080-800: The Centre For Creative Arts (CCA) and the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre which host annually the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), Poetry Africa, Time of the Writer and the creative dance festival JOMBA! which is produced by the FlatFoot Dance company. Westville campus is in an environmental conservancy in Westville , about 10 km west of Durban. It was formerly the site of the University of Durban-Westville before
1134-623: The Touring Class. The first recorded trip down the Dusi by boat was recorded in the Natal Witness in 1893. Two Pietermaritzburg men, Paul Marianni and William Foley, covered the distance in seven days, arriving at Blue Lagoon on 10 January 1893. It was not until 1951 that a race along the river would formally be held between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. The first ever Dusi Canoe Marathon was organised by Ian Player and began on 22 December 1951. The race
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#17328593573731188-810: The UKZN CCA are: The UKZN Time of the Writer festival invites international authors to take place in a variety of roundtable discussions, readings, seminars, book launches, and developmental programmes such as workshops, master classes and motivational talks. The festival has been running since 1998. First held in 1979, The Durban International Film Festival is one of the oldest and largest film festivals in southern Africa. The UKZN Poetry Africa started in 1997, and features performances, readings, and book-launches from some poets UKZN has two law clinics, one in Pietermaritzburg and one in Durban, that provide free legal assistance to those that are unable to afford it. Specializing in
1242-535: The Union. Prior to 1994, Pietermaritzburg was the capital of Natal Province . Following the first post-apartheid elections in South Africa, as a result of which the Inkatha Freedom Party 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
1296-499: 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 University of KwaZulu-Natal on 1 January 2004. Pietermaritzburg was the capital of the Colony of Natal until 1910, when the Union of South Africa was formed, and Natal became a province of
1350-412: 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. The University of Natal was founded in 1910. In 1922 the University extended to Durban . The two campuses were incorporated into
1404-477: 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. Pietermaritzburg has a well-developed higher system of public universities. Pietermaritzburg
1458-564: The areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics , and is ranked first in the country for physical sciences and engineering, second for computer science, and third for mathematics. The university has also produced a number of prominent entrepreneurs and innovators. It was ranked first in Sub-Saharan Africa in Q4 2020 by the amount of venture capital funding raised by Unicorn startups founded by UKZN's alumni. Internationally, UKZN
1512-476: The areas of HIV and AIDS, Family Law, and social justice matters, the UKZN law clinics are considered to be among the leading law clinics in the country. The law clinics also provide a practical training environment for final year law students, who are mentored by the clinic's experienced practitioners. Both clinics also engage directly with the communities throughout the province through regular outreach initiatives, where
1566-581: 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
1620-573: 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
1674-604: The coat of arms, visible on older public building and wrought iron lampposts, features an elephant which is clearly an Asian elephant 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 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.
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1728-778: The confluence of the Mgeni and Msundusi Rivers and an 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) flatwater paddle across the dam. The third stage to Blue Lagoon in Durban is the shortest, 36 kilometres (22 mi), however it still contains a 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) flatwater paddle across the lagoon. The finish of the race is at the Kingfisher Canoe Club . Competitors may enter the K1, K2, White Water, Touring or Touring Canadian (open canoes paddled by one or two paddlers using single blade paddles) Classes. Touring class kayaks may have rudders and this class includes all K3s, K4s and plastic kayaks. SUPs form part of
1782-468: The governor of the Cape Colony , Sir George Thomas Napier , 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 was on his way to Pretoria , a white man objected to Gandhi's presence in a first-class carriage. Despite Gandhi having a first-class ticket, he
1836-582: The infrastructure to be an effective seat of government, and the African National Congress (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
1890-559: The largest populations of Indian South Africans in South Africa. Pietermaritzburg is an emerging metropolitan area. The city was occupied by Voortrekkers , in April 1838 following the murder of Piet Retief 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 reprisal Wenkommando departed (November 1838) to defeat Dingane at
1944-524: 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
1998-461: The main economic hub of uMgungundlovu District Municipality . 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 . 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
2052-412: The neighbouring township of Edendale and white inhabitants were moved out of those areas. 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
2106-579: 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 , be the post-apartheid capital of the province. Ulundi had also been the capital of the bantustan KwaZulu , which makes up a portion of modern KwaZulu-Natal. However, Ulundi severely lacked
2160-528: 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. In fact, neither Retief nor Maritz ever reached Pietermaritzburg. Retief was killed by Dingane , 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
2214-483: The post of Vice-Chancellor and University Principal to world-renowned medical scientist and former Medical Research Council President – Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, who assumed office on 1 September 2002. He was entrusted with leading the University of Natal into the merger with the University of Durban-Westville. In so doing, he became the last Vice-Chancellor of the University of Natal. Professor Makgoba succeeded Professor Brenda Gourley as Vice-Chancellor. Having served
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2268-508: 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 Pietermaritzburg borough council assumed
2322-400: 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. Until
2376-509: 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 and the sinister supporter's the flag of the Natalia republic . Pietermaritzburg
2430-669: The standard mode of transport for the majority of the population who cannot afford private vehicles. 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. Pietermaritzburg has a dry-winter humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification : Cwa ). Summers are warm and occasionally hot, with frequent rainfall. Winters are dry with high diurnal temperature variation , with light air frosts being possible. Some of
2484-569: The students and legal practitioners travel to various remote, impoverished communities with the intention of providing access to justice for those that are most vulnerable. UKZN was ranked fourth out of the universities in South Africa by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and sixth by the QS World University Rankings in 2018. UKZN has historically had a very strong reputation in
2538-662: The supplies they needed in order to complete the race. The first three-day race was held in 1956 with changes being made to the format over fears for paddler safety when paddling at night. The Dusi Canoe Marathon was started by Ian Player in the early 1950s and this book tells the story of how it all began. The first edition of Men, Rivers and Canoes was published in 1964, and reissued in 2007 in South Africa ISBN 978-0-9802501-2-1 Source: Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg ( / ˌ p iː t ər ˈ m ær ɪ t s b ɜːr ɡ / ; Zulu : uMgungundlovu )
2592-668: The university that resulted in an exodus of world-class academics. He was succeeded by Dr Albert van Jaarsveld. The university is governed in accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1997, and its constitution is specified in the Statute of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as approved by the South African Minister of Education and the Parliament of South Africa . In the statute, the university consists of: The university
2646-403: The use of riot control measures, as well as violence on the part of some strikers. Secondly, there have been a series of legal and disciplinary actions taken by senior university management against academics for speaking in public about the university. These actions have drawn wide criticism from academics and from organisations such as Cosatu and UNESCO . They were also the cause of
2700-512: Was granted Nelson Mandela's name on its 50th anniversary in 2000. The medical school is the home of health sciences. Edgewood campus is located in Pinetown , about 20 km west of Durban. The buildings originally formed the Edgewood College of Education, which was incorporated into the University of Natal in 2001. Edgewood is the main location of the university's Faculty of Education, current Dean
2754-430: Was held with a non-stop format and no time limit. Of the eight paddlers that entered the race: Ian Player, Miles Brokensha, Ernie Pearce , John Naude, Basil Halford, Willie Potgieter, Fred Schmidt and Denis Vorster only Player finished the race in a time of 6 days, 8 hours and 15 minutes. The canoes used in the first race were made from wood and canvas and weighed 32 kilograms (71 lb). The paddlers also had to carry all
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#17328593573732808-448: 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 against Indians there. Out of that struggle emerged his unique version of nonviolent resistance , Satyagraha . Today,
2862-694: Was the Durban location of the University of Natal until the 2004 merger. It is located on the Berea Ridge . and is situated in a thriving environmental conservancy. The campus was opened in 1931, having been donated by Mr T. B. Davis, in honor of his son, Howard Davis, who died in the Battle of the Somme during the first world war. Howard College offers a wide range of degrees, with a large engineering department consisting of Electrical engineering and Chemical engineering. The College of Humanities and College of Law and Management are also positioned on this campus together with
2916-425: Was the main location of the University of Natal and its predecessor, the Natal University College, until the opening of the Howard College campus in Durban. This campus contains the university's oldest structure, Old Main Building, built in 1912. Pietermaritzburg campus offers a broad range of academic degrees and is the only UKZN campus providing training in agriculture, theology and fine arts. Howard College campus
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