Pinetown
Encyclopedia
Pinetown is a small city just inland from Durban
in KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa
. Pinetown is situated 16 km west of Durban at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,300 feet (305 to 395 m). It was established in 1850 around the Wayside Hotel, itself built the year before along the main wagon route between Durban and Pietermaritzburg
. It was named after the governor of Natal, Sir Benjamin Pine
. The British
built a concentration camp here during the Second Boer War to house Boer
women and children.
No longer a separate municipality, Pinetown is now part of the larger eThekwini
Municipality and, for voting purposes, falls within the IEC
electoral Ward 18. The area from Cowies Hill
in the east along Old Main Road/M1 to Westmead ( industral area ) in the west is commonly referred to as the Pinetown area, although Pinetown strictly extends from Caversham Glen to Manors. The structures of the original town can be found at the corner of Old Main/Stapleton roads.
Pinetown Cricket Club, established in 1873, is believed to be the oldest in KwaZulu-Natal and among the oldest still in existence in South Africa. The club, originally located in central Pinetown at the current Civic Centre location, has now moved to Lahee Park. Under the chairmanship of then Pinetown mayor, Vernon Hall, with facilities at their peak, Lahee Park hosted ten first class games between 1974 and 1979. Former internationals Norman Crookes (twice selected for the Springbok squad) and Tertius Bosch represented the club. Current (2010) Dolphins players Khaya Zondo and Cameron Delport call the club home as do KZN "B" cricketers Bruce Kruger and Kyle Buckthorp.
The city has several schools: Pinetown Boys' High School
, Pinetown Girls' High School
, Benjamin Pine Primary School (R-7), Sarnia Primary School, Highway Christian Academy, John Wesley School, Pinetown Junior & Senior Primary School, Browns School, St Benedict College, Lyndhurst Primary, New Germany Primary and Ashley Primary School. The only Afrikaans-medium school in the area is Gelofte Skool, meaning 'promise school'.
The shack dwellers' movement Abahlali baseMjondolo
is very strong in Pinetown particularly in the Motala Heights, Motala Farm, Mpola and New eMaus settlements.
Pinetown is known as a 'motor town', because of many motor dealerships found along Old Main Road. The city is serviced by a few shopping centres, Pine Crest/Pine Walk both in Kings road, Knowles ( Spar ) centre & St John's ( Checkers ) centre .For the DIY enthusiasts there are plenty DIY shops dotted along Old Main road. Pinetown is serviced by a government hospital ( St Mary's ) in Mariannhill, a private hospital (Crompton) and a private medical centre ( Medicross).
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
in KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Pinetown is situated 16 km west of Durban at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,300 feet (305 to 395 m). It was established in 1850 around the Wayside Hotel, itself built the year before along the main wagon route between Durban and Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
. It was named after the governor of Natal, Sir Benjamin Pine
Benjamin Pine
Sir Benjamin Chilley Campbell Pine was at various times administrator of Natal, the Gold Coast, Antigua, the Leeward Islands and Western Australia.-Life:...
. The British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
built a concentration camp here during the Second Boer War to house Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
women and children.
No longer a separate municipality, Pinetown is now part of the larger eThekwini
Ethekwini
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality created in 2000 that includes the city of Durban, South Africa and surrounding towns. eThekwini is one of the 11 districts of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The majority of its 3,090,126 people speak Zulu...
Municipality and, for voting purposes, falls within the IEC
Independent Electoral Commission (South Africa)
The Independent Electoral Commission is South Africa's independent election management body. It manages elections to the National Assembly, the provincial legislatures and the municipal councils....
electoral Ward 18. The area from Cowies Hill
Cowies Hill
Cowies Hill is a small upmarket residential suburb of Pinetown in Durban, South Africa. Its eponymous hill is a major feature in the Comrades Marathon which is held between Durban and Pietermaritzburg every year....
in the east along Old Main Road/M1 to Westmead ( industral area ) in the west is commonly referred to as the Pinetown area, although Pinetown strictly extends from Caversham Glen to Manors. The structures of the original town can be found at the corner of Old Main/Stapleton roads.
Pinetown Cricket Club, established in 1873, is believed to be the oldest in KwaZulu-Natal and among the oldest still in existence in South Africa. The club, originally located in central Pinetown at the current Civic Centre location, has now moved to Lahee Park. Under the chairmanship of then Pinetown mayor, Vernon Hall, with facilities at their peak, Lahee Park hosted ten first class games between 1974 and 1979. Former internationals Norman Crookes (twice selected for the Springbok squad) and Tertius Bosch represented the club. Current (2010) Dolphins players Khaya Zondo and Cameron Delport call the club home as do KZN "B" cricketers Bruce Kruger and Kyle Buckthorp.
The city has several schools: Pinetown Boys' High School
Pinetown Boys' High School
Pinetown Boys' High School is a public school for boys in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Pinetown High School was founded in 1955 as a co-educational, dual-medium school...
, Pinetown Girls' High School
Pinetown Girls' High School
Pinetown Girls' High School is a public school for girls in Old Main Road, Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1955 as Pinetown Secondary School, a co-educational school, at its current site. On January 1 1978, the boys were split off into Pinetown Boys' High School...
, Benjamin Pine Primary School (R-7), Sarnia Primary School, Highway Christian Academy, John Wesley School, Pinetown Junior & Senior Primary School, Browns School, St Benedict College, Lyndhurst Primary, New Germany Primary and Ashley Primary School. The only Afrikaans-medium school in the area is Gelofte Skool, meaning 'promise school'.
The shack dwellers' movement Abahlali baseMjondolo
Abahlali baseMjondolo
Abahlali baseMjondolo , also known as AbM or the red shirts is a shack-dwellers' movement in South Africa which is well known for its campaigning for public housing. The movement grew out of a road blockade organized from the Kennedy Road shack settlement in the city of Durban in early 2005 and now...
is very strong in Pinetown particularly in the Motala Heights, Motala Farm, Mpola and New eMaus settlements.
Pinetown is known as a 'motor town', because of many motor dealerships found along Old Main Road. The city is serviced by a few shopping centres, Pine Crest/Pine Walk both in Kings road, Knowles ( Spar ) centre & St John's ( Checkers ) centre .For the DIY enthusiasts there are plenty DIY shops dotted along Old Main road. Pinetown is serviced by a government hospital ( St Mary's ) in Mariannhill, a private hospital (Crompton) and a private medical centre ( Medicross).