MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO
“ Why Pietermaritzburg ?” is one of my favourite questions .
Firstly , why do I choose to live here ? Well , it ’ s the capital city of the majestic province of KwaZulu- Natal . And if that ’ s not enough , the city is as charming as the picturesque countryside that surrounds it , the weather is near perfect all year round and it offers a wholesome lifestyle that you ’ d be hard-pressed to match anywhere . There is no shortage of things to do , whether it ’ s leisure or sporting activities , and it ’ s just an hour from the beach and a skip-and-a-hop from the Drakensberg Mountains . The city plays host to a myriad of worldclass events like the Dusi Canoe Marathon , the Comrades Ultra- Marathon and the Midmar Mile ( to name but a few ), and in recent years — as a result of our recognition as the UCI Cycling City in Africa — we ’ ve played host to numerous international world cup and world championship cycling events . The city has an enviable leisure offering too . The country ’ s largest self-directed craft route , the Midlands Meander , is on our doorstop , and one is spoilt for choice in the fine-dining arena , with a selection of award-winning restaurants based in and around the city . It ’ s the perfect place to raise a family : a safe city , boasting some of the best private schools in the country . Need I say more ?
Why do I choose to work from here ? Pietermaritzburg is centrally situated in the province , strategically well-positioned along the N3 highway that connects Johannesburg with the port in Durban , and there are eight flights a day between our local airport and the city of Johannesburg . In 2017 there will be daily flights during the week between Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town .
It ’ s easy to work from here and it ’ s pleasant to do so . The people are warm and down-to-earth , business is still done on the basis of relationships and the community is a close one , which is why I am privileged to head up the third largest chamber in the country . Pietermaritzburg offers all the big city amenities , a quality lifestyle and a whole lot of heart . It is the PCB ’ s mission to promote better business , more and successful entrepreneurship , local economic development and the growth of business enterprises in the Msunduzi and uMgungundlovu regions . We have a passionate team supported by an able and committed Board , and working together with our city leadership — with whom we ’ ve enjoyed an exceptional relationship to date — we have every confidence that we will continue to see economic growth that outstrips the national growth rate . Capital magazine is designed to support our mission and to keep you informed about what is happening in ‘ Maritzburg . The print issue is supported by a digital version , which contains video , photo galleries , clickable adverts and other exciting interactive elements not possible with print . We hope that the stories in our Capital magazine will inspire you to choose Pietermaritzburg and to become Capitalists in the nicest possible way .
Melanie Veness
CEO — Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business
Capital | Issue 2 | 5 .