Msunduzi Local Municipality
Msunduzi Municipality (Zulu: UMasipala wase Msunduzi) is a local municipality within the Umgungundlovu District Municipality, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It encompasses the city of Pietermaritzburg, which is the capital of KwaZulu-Natal and the main economic hub of the Umgungundlovu District Municipality.
Msunduzi | |
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Seal | |
Location of Msunduzi Local Municipality within KwaZulu-Natal | |
| Coordinates: 29°37′S 30°23′E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District | uMgungundlovu |
| Seat | Pietermaritzburg |
| Wards | 37 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal council |
| • Mayor | (ANC) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 634 km2 (245 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 618,536 |
| • Density | 980/km2 (2,500/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 81.1% |
| • Coloured | 2.9% |
| • Indian/Asian | 9.8% |
| • White | 6.0% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Zulu | 72.4% |
| • English | 19.0% |
| • Afrikaans | 1.9% |
| • Xhosa | 1.9% |
| • Other | 4.8% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Municipal code | KZN225 |
Msunduzi Municipality is situated on the N3 highway at a junction of an industrial corridor (from Durban to Pietermaritzburg) and an agro-industrial corridor (stretching from Pietermaritzburg to Estcourt). On the regional scale, it is located at the cross section of the N3 corridor and the Greytown Road corridor to the north, a tourist route to the Drakensberg, and Kokstad Road to the south.
The city of Pietermaritzburg is a provincial and national centre of educational excellence. Pietermaritzburg is a seat of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is home to several other institutions of higher learning. In addition, Pietermaritzburg is home to a host of private and government-owned institutions of primary and secondary education.