Timeline of Pietermaritzburg
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a timeline of the history of Pietermaritzburg. It is part of the Msunduzi Local Municipality in the Umgungundlovu District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.
19th century
- 1839
- Pietermaritzburg founded by Voortrekkers; named after Gerrit Maritz and Piet Retief.[1]
- October: Settlement becomes capital of the newly formed Natalia Republic.
- 1840 - Voortrekker Church of the Vow consecrated.[2]
- 1843
- British Fort Napier established.[3][4]
- Natalier newspaper begins publication.[5]
- Settlement becomes capital of the newly formed British Colony of Natal.
- 1846
- Natal Witness newspaper begins publication.
- Book Society founded.[6]
- 1847 - Natal Independent newspaper begins publication.[7]
- 1851
- 1856
- 1862 - Prison built on Burger Street.[11]
- 1863 - Mr. William Calder opens High School Maritzburg, later to become Maritzburg College, or, simply "College."[12]
- 1868
- William Macrorie becomes bishop of Anglican diocese of Maritzburg.
- St Saviour's Cathedral, Pietermaritzburg opened.[1]
- 1874 - Botanical Garden established.
- 1878 - February: Natal Society Museum opens.[6]
- 1879 - Pietermaritzburg County Football Club formed.[13]
- 1880 - Durban-Pietermaritzburg railway begins operating.[2][1]
- 1885 - Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Commerce active (approximate date).[chronology citation needed][14]
- 1888 - Alexandra Park established.
- 1893 - 7 June: Civil rights activist Gandhi removed from train in Pietermaritzburg for defying racial segregation law.[2]
- 1897 - St. John's Diocesan School for Girls founded.
20th century
- 1901 - Town Hall rebuilt.[1]
- 1904
- 1910
- Natal University College founded.
- Pietermaritzburg becomes part of the newly formed Union of South Africa (British dominion).
- 1911 - Population: 30,555.[16]
- 1912 - Voortrekker museum founded.
- 1919 - Fort Napier becomes a hospital.[chronology citation needed]
- 1920 - Pietermaritzburg Girls' High School founded.
- 1921 - Comrades Marathon (Durban-Pietermaritzburg) begins.
- 1924 - Beer hall in business on Pietermaritz Street.[17]
- 1925 - Shuter & Shooter Publishers in business.
- 1927 - Afrikaansmediumskool (school) established.
- 1929 - "Native Village at Sobantu" built.[17]
- 1931 - Natal Bantu Football Association formed.[13]
- 1934 - Nux student newspaper begins publication.
- 1944 - Pietermaritzburg Italian P.O.W. Church built on Epworth Road.
- 1948 - Alexandra Park Street Circuit (motor race track) opens.
- 1951 - Dusi Canoe Marathon to Durban begins.
- 1953 - Roy Hesketh Circuit (motor race track) opens.
- 1954 - Edendale Hospital founded.
- 1960 - Alexandra High School for white boys opens.
- 1961 - Pietermaritzburg becomes part of the newly independent Republic of South Africa.
- 1962 - Statue of Piet Retief unveiled.
- 1972 - 6 April: "In the Natal Supreme Court in Pietermaritzburg, at the end of the longest trial of its kind in South Africa, thirteen defendants...are sentenced...for contravening the Terrorism Act."[2]
- 1979 - Maritzburg United F.C. (football club) formed.
- 1976 - St Saviour's Cathedral, Pietermaritzburg deconsecrated and demolished in 1981.
- 1981 - Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Nativity consecrated.
- 1985 - 5 August: Treason trial begins.[18]
- 1987 - September: Flood.[19]
- 1989 - Napierville prison begins operating.[11]
- 1990 - March: "Seven Day War" occurs.[2]
- 1991 - Population: 156,473 city; 228,549 metro.[20]
- 1993
- 1996 - Children in Distress Network (CINDI) organized.[22]
- 2000
- Pietermaritzburg becomes part of the newly formed Msunduzi Local Municipality (which includes Edendale, Imbali, etc.).
- Hloni Glenford Zondi becomes mayor.
21st century
- 2001 - Population: 223,519.
- 2002 - Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business formed.[23]
- 2004 - University of Natal becomes University of KwaZulu-Natal.
- 2005 - Website Msunduzi.gov.za launched (approximate date).[24]
- 2006 - Zanele Hlatshwayo becomes mayor of Msunduzi.[25]
- 2010 - May: Mike Tarr becomes mayor of Msunduzi.[26]
- 2011 - Chris Ndlela becomes mayor of Msunduzi.[27]
- 2013 - Spring Grove Dam at Mooi River begins operating in vicinity of city.[28]
- 2016 - Themba Njilo becomes mayor of Msunduzi.[29][30]
- 2021 - 2021 Pietermaritzburg power outage
- 2022 - 2022 Pietermaritzburg shooting
See also
- Pietermaritzburg history
- List of mayors of Pietermaritzburg
- List of heritage sites in Pietermaritzburg
- List of governors of Natal (British colony), headquartered in Pietermaritzburg 1843–1910
- Timelines of other cities in South Africa: Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Johannesburg, Pretoria
